


W.I.T.C.H.E.: Evolution

by Sokaisama



Category: W.I.T.C.H., X-Men Evolution
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Amalgam Crossover, Crossover, Drama & Romance, Elemental Magic, F/F, Friendship/Love, Gen, Girl Power, Humor, Multi, Mutant Powers, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2019-09-14 19:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 153,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16919271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokaisama/pseuds/Sokaisama
Summary: [WITCH/X-Men: Evolution X'Over, sort of] A group of young women discover one by one that each possess extraordinary, and radically unique superpowers, and while they gradually learn to better harness these tremendous gifts, a yet to be detected evil vies to make the ultimate power his own. . . .





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gina/gifts), [FantasticFire](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=FantasticFire).



> Disclaimer: I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. - I leave that honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's X-Men series franchise (even though this story isn't even really related to the series, at least not super super directly, anyway. Just don't want to hear law suit claims LoL). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM both series.
> 
> \--  
> Hello, hello! Decided to try my hand at finally joining AO3, since my main site's always been over on FanFiction.net, and several requests were made from readers for me to also come over here. And while I honestly prefer to keep my stories all in one place, seeing as this particular story is my newest, I figured, "What would be the harm?" for now. :)
> 
> At any rate, this is still solely a W.I.T.C.H. focused story, with its various characters . . . except they're mutants, instead, with a slight "X-Men: Evolution" feel out of all the X-Men series' various incarnations (with the whole "we're all teenagers, just trying to come to terms with our new mutant abilities" premise it had).
> 
> Also note that none of the main X-Men are within this story/exist, although lesser used/known characters may pop up in passing here and there in future. 
> 
> Um . . . what else, what else. Oh! And the world isn't yet aware mutants exist within this story, either, just so we're clear. =)
> 
> Okay! Enjoy, my Lovelies!
> 
> -  
> This story/chapter was written/created in October 2016.  
> -

"Hey, man! Toss it over here!"

"Go long, then!"

On the surface, this place certainly _looked_ as normal as any other private school . . . at least, from what she'd always seen within the media, or personally imagined, anyway.

A grand, admittedly impressive front landscape served as a pristine canvas for the pretentious, cream colored and four story building which intimidatingly loomed before her within nearing distance.

_Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_.

' _Gifted_.'

_That_ was certainly putting it mildly, to say the least. . . .

Several of whom were believed to be fellow students appeared to be taking advantage of the unseasonably warm, Upstate New York September weather that early Saturday afternoon, with a few engaging within various athletics and gaily running past her without a second thought, while the remaining congregation chose the more lackadaisical approach by lounging about the lush and freshly cut grass.

If she hadn't known what this particular educational institution was before her mother, Susan, had enrolled her, she honestly could have sworn it really _was_ just like any other 'run of the mill' private school for the truly intellectually blessed . . . which honestly would have made her feel _infinitely_ better than she presently did over having been sent off to an entirely new place, new _state_ , all alone.

_I'm still having an extremely hard time believing that each of these kids and I are . . . are. . . ._

" _I'm a . . . mutant? W-What does that even mean, Mom? W-What are you saying?"_

" _Oh, honey . . . I wanted to tell you for the longest time . . . and I know that I should have, especially because I knew that there might have been a chance you were born one . . . like your father. . . ."_

It _would_ figure that the only thing her estranged father, Thomas, would have bestowed upon his daughter, before promptly exiting from her life at the tender age of just four-years-old, _would_ be freakish abilities she had absolutely no say nor _control_ over.

That, _and_ her unfortunate, crippling habit of avoiding fully opening up to anyone within her life at all costs, besides of course her mother (which was now a bit ironic, given the latest developments), out of fear of further abandonment if she ever did . . . something which had nearly become the case on the day that her powers had awakened. . . .

_Well, wherever 'Dear Ol' Dad' is right now, out there in the world and doing whatever with whomever, he gets to be free . . . while I'm stuck in this place for -_

"Hey, there! Need any help with your belongings, or finding your room? If it's the former, then I'm _definitely_ your girl, as lifting heavy objects isn't that big a deal for lil' ol' me!" a lyrical, jovial female voice suddenly called out from behind, effortlessly breaking through her brooding thoughts and causing her to nearly let out a cry of alarm . . . which most certainly would _not_ have been a good thing, for either one of them. . . .

". . . . Uhhh, hello? Miss, um . . . _annnnd_ I don't know what to call you because I obviously don't know your name! But, oh! _Duh!_ You don't know _mine_ , either, huh? Name's Hay Lin!" the continually cheerful young teenager grinned as she introduced herself more properly, lightly scratching at the crown of her waist length and free flowing, raven colored head. Her warm, inviting brown eyes began to twinkle within continued delight as she then watched as the mysterious, bob styled redhead before her at last decided to turn around to face her. " _There_ we are! I know, I know: First day at a new school, with new _people_ can totally rattle anyone's nerves, right? But _then_ we go and throw in the added bonus of being a school full of fellow _mutants_ and well – ! O-Oh, but no _worries_ , seriously! Everyone here is _really_ nice! I should know: I've been here for nearly two years, myself, now, and it's honestly made fitting in and just controlling my powers in general _a lot_ easier!"

Hay Lin could feel her wheat colored cheeks grow a bit flush within mild embarrassment as she curiously watched as the new girl standing before her gaze within her direction as though she were the _greatest_ thing she had ever seen within her entire life.

If Hay Lin's particular mutant ability had been of the mind reading variety, then perhaps she might have been better privy as to why the unnamed girl was currently struggling to conceal the shy smile which so clearly wished to be more openly revealed.

Before she could have inquired over the admittedly peculiar matter, the redhead finally responded.

". . . . Will. My name is Will Vandom, Hay Lin. . . . O-Okay, well, maybe it's actually _Wilhelmina_ , but we're all definitely going to be calling me ' _Will_ ,' instead, just . . . just as a head's up," she slowly revealed within initial timidity, before quickly picking up steam and even managing to allow her previous simper to at last shine through upon her naturally tanned face, unhindered.

She could then _finally_ feel her entire body relaxing for the very first time since she'd arrived to her new school – Indeed, since she'd left her familiar, cozy loft back in Heatherfield, Maine earlier that morning.

True, Will _still_ did not wish to be there at all, as the prospect of now being forced to live under the same roof with not only perfect strangers, but those with Heaven knew what sort of mutant abilities at each of their disposal completely, and utterly _terrified_ her, understandably.

However, because of that ever present fact constantly running over and over through her mind during the past two weeks of preparing to arrive there, it hadn't honestly occurred to Will that any of them might actually be _friendly_ , after all, as a bit silly as it now felt for her to realize. . . .

". . . . S-So, uh . . . what . . . what is your, um . . . _power_ , anyway? I know you said something about . . . 'lifting heavy objects,' but . . . from the, well, size of you, I don't really see how that'd be possible. _Oh!_ N-No offense, though!" Will inwardly groaned as she resisted the immense urge to smack a palm to her face within humiliation, her previous want of attempting to break the ice as best as possible, given the overall circumstance, effortlessly falling flat as a result.

Hay Lin hadn't appeared to be within agreement, however, as her lips suddenly spread into a grand, Cheshire Cat like grin within response, as though having been waiting for the other girl to finally make a direct query about her unknown mutant abilities.

Without another word uttered between them, Will then watched within growing curiosity as the more petite girl standing next to her calmly extended her right hand, palm out, toward Will's momentarily forgotten luggage set down in front of her.

As the wind around them suddenly began to peculiarly pick up, the next thing Will found herself witnessing was all four of her variously sized, black colored duffle bags eerily and inexplicably rising from off of the ground . . . _and_ floating nearly three feet above it. . . .

" _Aerokinesis!_ It means that I possess the ability to control and manipulate the air around us! Pretty _cool_ , huh? Although, actually, I didn't even know that that's what my mutant powers were when they first manifested two years ago, since the very _first_ thing I'd ended up doing with them was . . . well, this," Hay Lin gaily explained, clearly within full control and at peace with both her abilities, _and_ being a fellow mutant in the first place, which managed to illicit an initial feeling of immense envy from Will . . . before it immediately gave way to mounting trepidation the moment she watched Hay Lin carefully lower her belongings back onto the ground, and readily lifted her own self, instead. " _See?_ Of all the things I've been learning while I've been here, _flying_ is definitely still at the top – No pun intended! Besides, for _now_ , at least, I honestly can't really get any higher than above your head, like so, and –! H-Hey, you _okay_ , Will?"

Will honestly began to wonder for a moment what the other girl was going on about, her mind and overall senses still _quite_ bewildered by what she was seeing, before the regrettably now _very_ familiar, prickly and hot physical sensations swiftly brought her out of her previous reverie.

Looking away from the still hovering Hay Lin before her, Will quickly raised both of her now shaking hands in front of her to see that her _own_ mutant ability was once again flaring up . . . just as it now apparently _always_ would whenever her emotions, _especially_ those stressful within nature, got the better of her.

_. . . . Just like when they manifested and I . . . I. . . ._

". . . . W-Will? I asked if you were all right? By . . . By the way your whole body's reacting like that, I take it that _clearly_ you've got the power of _Electrokinesis_ , then, am I right? That is totally -"

"- I-I've gotta go," Will hurriedly interrupted the now taken aback Hay Lin, who had just then gently landed back onto the ground and to her side, before the clearly flustered redhead picked up her luggage as quickly as she could and practically jogged the rest of the way toward the front double doors of their shared school.

". . . . What I wouldn't _give_ to trade powers with her right about now, so I could freaking _fly_ myself to my stupid bedroom and not come out until _graduation_ ," Will muttered bitterly to herself, keeping her mahogany colored eyes downcast as to avoid the random stares from fellow students she was undoubtedly receiving within the next passing moments, as she continually struggled to calm herself down in order to reclaim what little control she presently had over her electricity based abilities.

It was suddenly no longer a wonder why Hay Lin was so sickeningly jubilant over living at the school, and for the past _two_ years at that!

All _she_ probably had to worry about on a day to day basis, regarding her aptly named 'Aerokinesis,' was perhaps accidentally blowing out another person's birthday candles before _they_ did, if she'd ever end up _sneezing_ while within the vicinity!

Meanwhile, what _Will_ could possibly do within contrast with her own powers . . . what she had _already_ done . . . it was taking all of her willpower not to just turn right around and run _far_ away from there, from _everyone_ , and never look back if it meant that no one else would ever get hurt because of her. . . .

As she forced herself to block out the personally nauseating sounds of faint, although nonetheless obnoxious popping and crackling her generated, and woefully unchecked electricity made as it continually surged throughout her entire body, Will somehow was able to allow herself a few moments to better collect herself once she'd made it inside the building.

Closing her eyes tightly and taking deep, rhythmically slow and meditative breaths, Will thankfully began to feel that her newly adopted, calming technique was already beginning to work, slowly smiling to herself within immense relief to no longer hear the electrical buzzing which was previously deafening her eardrums. . . .

Gently readjusting the luggage within her now electricity-free hands and across both shoulders, Will exhaled one final time before reopening her eyes, which then began to widen over the sight of her newest surroundings.

First, merely the _outside_ of the _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ had been rather noteworthy, even that elaborate, angel sculpted outdoor fountain she'd noticed as she'd run inside, which was erected ever so precisely within the middle of the vast yard for all to admire.

Now, there she was, standing only within the golden, and red velvet schemed foyer of the monolithic establishment, and Will was once again trapped within awe, in spite of herself.

_Geez . . . Mom and I could easily fit our entire loft within this one room, alone_ , she mused with a light gasp, crimson eyebrows slowly raising as her eyes followed the seemingly never ending, grand staircase laid out straight ahead her and split within both directions of the left and the right at the very top.

Will couldn't help but let out a low whistle of continued amazement as she surveyed the blatantly expensive décor, particularly the gargantuan, crystal chandelier which she'd just then at last noticed dangling directly above her head upon the quite high, and intricately decorative marble ceiling.

_If both the main hall and outside of this place is this obnoxiously fancy, I wonder what the hell my new room's gonna be like,_ Will privately wondered with an unexpected, faint smile of intrigue, once more about to nearly forget for a moment where she was and why . . . that is, until another, random student just then descended the main staircase.

To be fair, _several_ fellow pupils had been continually going up and down the stairwell, or simply passing by upon entering or exiting the various, surrounding corridors, and all of them – Just as those Will had seen milling about outside - had appeared every bit as 'normal' as she once was.

However, Will's mind instantly began to frantically wonder what sort of mutant powers – Moreover, mutants in general presently existed _beyond_ the walls of the school, if the one continually traveling down the grand staircase looked the way _she_ did. . . .

It was honestly as though Will had stepped into a children's book as she apprehensively watched as a . . . _fairy_ gently fluttered the rest of the way down the stairs.

A _fairy_.

Will was currently looking at (and trying her absolute best not to completely freak out over) a real life fairy!

If she were still six-years-old she might have found the present development to be a wondrous, once in a lifetime experience. At _sixteen_ , however, and knowing that the bubblegum pink haired, pointy eared and dragonfly winged fellow teenager was instead a . . . _mutant_ just like her, it was all Will could do to prevent herself from having another panic attack.

"Hey, Megan! You ready for Monday's exam in 'U.S. History' class? I'm _sooo_ tempted to just ask you to cast your Sleeping Spell on me so that I can maybe fake an illness and skip it!" Will continued to gawk, although as subtly as she could, as the fairy mutant apparently known as Megan suddenly looked up from the random textbook she was quietly reading from while having finished her descent, and toward the female voice which was beckoning her.

"Are you takin' the piss, Jubilee? And risk _demerits_ for misusing my spell casting powers – Which you know full well I've only _just_ started getting the hang of - and only a week away from _finally_ going to Karmilla's next concert? Besides! How is it that _you're_ the one born within this country while I'm from Wales, and yet _I'm_ the one with higher marks in that class than you? Talk about _irony_ , butt!" Megan teasingly responded within what she had conveniently revealed for Will's admittedly uninformed benefit to be a Welsh accent, momentarily catching sight of the redhead's ongoing stare as she floated by and smiled genuinely at her.

Will honestly felt utterly thankful that both Megan and the raven haired girl who was her apparent companion were already heading within the opposite direction from where she continued to stand, so that neither could have seen her lingering alarm upon realizing that even the girl's _eyes_ were 'unnatural.'

While the sclera of Will's eyes were _white_ , just like any other human, she had briefly seen that not only were Megan's pitch _black_ , but that even her _irises_ were not of a normal shade, both being every bit as bright pink as her hair. . . .

". . . . W-What the _hell_ have I gotten myself mixed i-into?" Will whispered to herself in between slightly labored breaths, her momentary repose completely disintegrating as her previous anxiety returned, and her entire body slowly began to grow warm as her clearly unbridled Electrokinesis threatened to bubble back up to the surface at any moment.

"I see that you have met one of our more . . . visually unique students, Megan Gwynn! _Truly_ a remarkable young pupil, and not simply because of her half pixie lineage, either! But I . . . suppose getting into the fact that such beings _also_ exist, so soon after having just learned that we _mutants_ do as well would be a bit much for the time being, hmm? _Especially_ right now, it would appear," Will surprisingly felt her renewed, electrified body immediately beginning to relax upon listening to the only familiar voice she'd heard since first arriving to the school, and quickly turned around to properly face the newcomer.

". . . . So . . . y-you're telling me that . . . that there are _more_ of . . . her kind wandering around the world right now?" she asked a bit absentmindedly upon locking eyes with the elderly, ivory haired woman, whom both she and her mother had met only just two weeks prior when she was still back in Maine.

Will exhaled slowly as she gratefully felt her powers quieting back down inside of her, before her entire face became, quite possibly, as red as her hair as she then realized the harsh implications of what she had said in regards to the apparent mutant-pixie hybrid, and promptly averted her gaze from the wise woman calmly standing before her.

"I-I, um . . . sorry about that, Missus Lin . . . or is it ' _Professor_ Lin' now that I'm officially here? I didn't . . . I didn't mean it to sound as I know it just did," Will managed to meekly apologize, her natural timidity effortlessly coming to the surface as she could regrettably still feel the older woman's bistre hued eyes resting steadily upon her.

The pair had only seen one another upon two separate occasions before that particular moment, yet during both times, in spite of how trying and pessimistic the overall circumstance had been, Will had been able to readily deduce that Professor Yan Lin, herself, certainly was _not_.

In fact, having made her acquaintance at all was probably the _only_ positive thing about having Will's mutant powers suddenly manifest, what with the natural, almost eerie way the antiquated woman had managed to effortlessly soothe the young girl's understandably frazzled nerves each time they had met, _almost_ giving her hope that perhaps her life wasn't as terrible as she now firmly believed it to be. . . .

" _Finding out that you are a mutant does not mean that you are no longer Wilhelmina Vandom. You are, and always will be that same individual, through and through. Having the powers that you now do simply means that you've encountered an extension of yourself . . . and are becoming whole, even if it does not yet feel that way,"_ Will remembered the kind woman assure her a few days before the redhead was meant to say goodbye to her mother, as well as her old life.

_Even with so much of everything happening in just a few days, and even though I didn't and still kind of don't believe her words, Yan Lin somehow managed to make me feel like everything was going to be all right . . . and that maybe my powers and I really aren't . . . aren't. . . ._

Unable to finish her train of thought, perhaps fearing that in doing so would make what had been her main concern ever since having first awakened her electrical type of powers to be true, Will instead chanced another glance and was relieved to see that Professor Lin was simply smiling warmly at her, rather than bestow upon her the disapproving frown the younger girl had honestly been expecting, given her unsavory and prejudiced comment moments prior.

"I understand, Will, I do . . . although perhaps we should let that sort of talk cease here and now, before officially joining the student assemblage, yes? If there is one thing you will find out rather quickly by being here at 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters,' it is that we nurture acceptance, equality _and_ unity, attributes which I – Indeed _all_ of your professors – strongly advocate, and strive to armor our students with as . . . well, sadly, sometimes this can be a rather fruitless ambition for _others_ out there within the world," Professor Lin calmly explained with another smile, although this one was a bit more faint than the first. "While we as mutants have yet to be made publicly known to the _rest_ of the world, one day we may, and when that day comes it is our hope that it will be met with civility, understanding, and respect . . . and _that_ is why it is imperative that it must first come from ourselves. . . ."

If Will hadn't previously felt greatly ashamed of her rather ignorant statement, she certainly did within that moment, especially knowing that she was better than that, that her mother had _raised_ her to be better than that.

_Although . . . to be fair to myself, I don't think anyone else would have had a better reaction upon meeting a real life . . . pixie_ , she briefly mused as she couldn't help but automatically defend herself a moment, before her mind then wandered to just minutes earlier, and the behavior she'd displayed upon witnessing _Hay Lin_ utilizing her Aerokinesis.

_She_ had been every bit as friendly as Megan appeared to be by default, _and_ had merely wished to be helpful, and Will had treated her as though she'd possessed _three heads_ . . . a visualization which the redhead was steadily beginning to believe was an actual _reality_ somewhere out there within the world for a _different_ mutant. . . .

Choosing not to dwell upon that final thought, lest she say or even do something she'd once again regret, Will instead nodded slowly within understanding, her cheeks becoming all the more flushed.

". . . . I get it, Professor Lin . . . I do. I mean, you already know that all of this has been pretty . . . rough on me, to say the least, but . . . what you probably _don't_ know about me yet is that I'm _not_ like that – _Prejudiced_ or anything, I mean," she clarified softly, awkwardly beginning to rub at her left arm before a sudden, only slightly unrelated realization just then occurred to her. "O-Oh, wow. . . . I-I think I might have just met your . . . _granddaughter_ outside, didn't I? Hay Lin, right? I don't know why I didn't make the connection earlier of why she already seemed kinda familiar to me! She's so much like _you!_ E-Er, that is . . . I mean that, from what I've seen so far, anyway, both of you are pretty friendly and welcoming right off the bat, and honestly . . . have this weird way of sort of 'Zen-ing' people out. . . ."

Thankfully, Professor Lin merely chuckled softly at this, deep brown eyes twinkling as she lightly nodded.

"I can attest that you are not the first to say such a thing about my young Hay Lin and myself, Will, and will most probably not be the last. It has warmed my old heart so greatly to have her here with me these last two years, you know . . . although, to be honest, I was a bit surprised," she lightheartedly explained, turning her snow white colored head within the direction of the main entrance of the private school, where many of her pupils were continually walking into and out of as they spoke. "You see, as I had told you when we first met, I have been a teacher here at this institute for nearly thirty years, and had truly expected to eventually see my _own_ child, Chen, be enrolled at 'any time.' However, as Life would have it, his mutant powers hadn't developed until he was twenty-one-years-old, thus making it far too late for him to actively attend. . . . But! Worry not, as under my direct tutelage, my son has since become quite proficient with his Opinokinesis, or his ability to manipulate the senses of himself and others, within layman's terms, all the same! And now, _finally_ , a fellow late bloomer like her father, Hay Lin is already shaping out to be every bit as capable! In fact, at the rate she is progressing, I feel quite confident within saying with esteemed pride that she will certainly surpass even my _own_ Aerokinesis!"

Will was about to ask what sort of mutant powers her new professor possessed, herself, as the older woman had yet to display them in all the time they had briefly known one another thus far . . . which, up until that moment, the redhead had admittedly assumed that perhaps whatever Professor Lin's powers had been, they might have faded away due to old age.

Now, however, she was wondering not only if there were specific types of mutant abilities which were passed down within families, the way Professor Lin's Aerokinesis had apparently skipped over her son yet was bestowed onto her granddaughter, but also what sort of firepower the elderly woman had at her _own_ disposal, given what Will had just witnessed Hay Lin being capable of doing, herself, and only two years into learning to control her powers. . . .

Will was about to openly inquire about this within better detail, momentarily wondering with a bit of mounting anxiety what her _already_ lethal Electrokinetic powers could possibly grow into, as well, when a slender, cyan eyed brunette with shoulder length, free flowing hair suddenly whizzed past both women on what the redhead had only just managed to see were a pair of blue and white colored roller blades.

Professor Lin let out a low, elongated exhale before turning her gaze toward Will once more as she suddenly, although politely excused herself.

". . . . One moment, if you would, Will," she said with a curious smirk, her naturally friendly brown eyes not leaving Will's own as she calmly raised her left hand, palm open, toward the quickly retreating student . . . a gesture which very much mimicked Hay Lin's from earlier, and thus immediately made Will realize what was about to occur.

With a sudden, swift flick of her wrist, Professor Lin turned her palm back around to face both Will and herself before lowering her arm back to her side, just as a sudden gust of wind billowed into the grand foyer from outside and slammed straight into the now yelping brunette with expert precision.

" _W-Whoa!_ " both Will, _and_ the unidentified girl, cried out at the same time, causing Will to jump within her spot within affect, while the poor student had toppled recklessly onto the marbled floor and landed firmly upon her backside.

_Geez! Professor Lin barely even flexed a muscle, or even looked at what she was doing before summoning that giant blast like that!_ the redhead thought within a mixture of both awe and mild fright, as she finally witnessed just a mere taste of the raw power her new teacher clearly possessed. _Gotta remind myself never to get on her bad side. . . ._

Apparently sensing her newest pupil's concern, Professor Lin gently rested a hand upon Will's shoulder and smiled.

"My apologies for displaying my powers to you for the first time within such a manner, Will – Trust that this sort of behavior is _certainly_ not habitual! However, Miss Lair over there knows fully well – As _you_ soon will, as time goes on – That horse playing is not permitted, _especially_ not within the walls of the school," she stated, her voice still remaining quite amiable, although her overall posture now carried even more an air of regard than it had already.

"Ohhh, my _head_ ," the mystery brunette gently moaned from behind Professor Lin, as Will slightly craned her head over the woman's shoulder just in time to watch the young girl begin rubbing at her _buttocks_ , rather than her head as she had been complaining over.

Shaking her own a moment, Will gave a gentle smile of slight understanding toward Professor Lin before both women moved to approach the previously reprimanded student, who'd just then finished carefully standing up and wobbly whirled around upon her apparently frowned upon roller blades.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_ , Professor Lin! I know it's against the rules to have them on while inside, but I was in a rush to get to the mall before the 'Weekend Madness Sale' was over! And seeing as I unfortunately don't have super speed, _nor_ the ability to _fly_ like your lovely granddaughter, I had to improvise! I just . . . was kinda hoping that you wouldn't have seen me coming, since I saw you were busy with another newbie, here," the russet haired girl apologized with a crooked smile, it promptly melting away as she began glaring at the various, fellow students who were lightly chuckling at her expense as they passed, clearly knowing what was to come next.

Will, meanwhile, began to slowly blush with a light frown over being called a 'newbie,' this particular day increasingly reminding her of how out of place she'd felt when she'd first moved to Maine with her mother five years ago, and _especially_ at her old school before this one, _Sheffield Institute_.

Still, as badly as _that_ first day had gone, _this_ one was most probably going to top it, she was sure. . . .

Professor Lin momentarily flashed the blue eyed girl a sympathetic smile, before shaking her head and extending out both of her withered hands toward her, immediately leading Will to believe that yet another aerial onslaught was about to recommence.

However, the brunette teenager apparently seemed to understand what was happening, as she briefly pursed her lips together as though attempting to suppress the urge to perhaps object, before then silently bending down to remove both of her trouble making roller blades.

". . . . You will get them back at the end of next week, Irma, while you will sadly have to miss out on your little shopping spree, as you will be staying on campus for the rest of the day," Professor Lin adjudicated as she gingerly seized the girl known as Irma's roller blades from out of her grasp, before suddenly turning her attention onto Will. "Instead, you can help our new student, Will Vandom, here, get properly settled into her dormitory! And when you've finished with that, you can return to yours and review your studies for your 'U.S. History' exam on Monday, yes?"

" _W-What?_ But I _already_ d –! . . . . _Yes_ , Professor Lin," Irma complied hollowly, her shoulders now slumped and face contorting into one of great vexation, although she was nonetheless clearly trying her best to conceal her true feelings from the surprisingly authoritative older woman, as she then appeared to be pretending to scratch away an itch from her perfectly shaped eyebrow.

_Well, wow . . . suddenly it feels like I'm back at home still dealing with my mom, or something_ , Will mused sympathetically as she shyly smiled at Irma, who seemed to be already regaining her composure, at least long enough to look back at her and actually manage to smile back.

"All right, then! I suppose I will leave you girls to it! Will, again, welcome to our _fine_ school! And _do_ remember that it may feel profoundly overwhelming right now, but soon enough you _will_ find your footing and flourish prosperously, I am sure," Professor Lin assured, her original peaceful and engaging nature effortlessly returning as she smiled warmly at both girls, before turning away and headed down the left hand corridor to places yet unknown to Will.

Beginning to uncomfortably rub at her arm once more, Will looked every which way but at the new girl before her, as she was beginning to feel tremendously guilty for technically being a part of the reason why she'd gotten into trouble in the first place.

" _Bah_ , don't sweat it, babe – _I_ usually don't, seeing as this sort of stuff _kiiiinda_ happens a lot with me around here for one reason or another . . . although I _was_ so looking forward to finally snagging a pair of these _really_ killer knee high boots I'd been eyeballing for a few weeks, now," Will was then relieved to hear Irma say with a clear smile within her voice, causing her to chance looking back within her direction. "So! You're a newb – I mean 'new student,' huh? Name's Irma Lair, although The Prof actually already said my name several times earlier, didn't she? _A-Anyway_ , sorry! Still feeling a bit rattled, thanks to that wicked _typhoon_ of hers. . . ."

Will managed a weak smile within return as she slowly nodded and now instead rubbed the back of her neck, before heading back to her temporarily forgotten belongings and began picking them up again.

"Uh, yeah . . . I really am sorry that that happened, though, Irma, since . . . it kinda _is_ my fault you got caught. . . . See, Professor Lin's granddaughter, Hay Lin, had actually offered to help me with my things back outside a little bit ago, but I . . . thought I could handle the rest of the trek on my own," she feebly explained, strategically choosing to omit the true reason out of lingering shame. "So . . . yeah. I guess if I had taken her up on her offer, then I'd probably already be inside my bedroom by now, and you might not have gotten spotted by Professor Lin, otherwise. . . ."

At this, Irma let out a sarcastic scoff and waved her hand within dismissal, her now bare feet gently stamping against the smooth marble floors as she too made a move for Will's luggage.

"Again, you're _new_ here, babe, so _trust_ me when I say, once more, that this sort of stuff happens _a lot_ with me on and off! Besides! Now I get to take yet another new mutant under my wing and show 'em the ropes, just like this other chickadee who enrolled about a week before you did! But she's so far _a lotttt_ more neurotic about _her_ powers and all that jazz than you seem to . . . _not_ be, I guess? No biggie, though: Like I told her, not all of us embrace who we are right off the bat, y'know? You'll just get there when ya get there!"

Will briefly wondered whom the other new student was, feeling _more_ than empathetic toward her apparently mutual contempt toward her mutant nature, before smiling thoughtfully at Irma as she watched her pick up her two remaining duffle bags, and led the way up the main staircase before them.

_Professor Lin really wasn't kidding when she said that teaching the concept of acceptance and understanding was an actual thing here_ , she thought with another faint smile as both she and Irma silently climbed up the remainder of the stairwell, before taking the left hand corridor at the very top.

"So! Where ya from, originally? Me, I'm from Florida, myself, which, given my mutant abilities, that's probably one of the best states to live," Will could hear Irma state cryptically with an amused tone as they continued to walk down the long, dimly lit hallway, where several ivory colored and numbered doors aligned both sides.

". . . . Oh, um, I'm from Maine, Irma. Well, no, I _moved_ to Maine with my mom five years ago, but I was born and lived in Vermont before then," the redhead guardedly revealed, briefly wondering what Irma's mutant powers could have been, as her natural walls of self preservation began climbing up within her before she could stop herself . . . although she honestly felt that, for now, at least, doing so around the obviously extroverted girl perhaps wouldn't be necessary. "Oh, and my dorm room number is fifteen, by the way. . . ."

She'd felt that way about Hay Lin, as well, truth be told, _before_ witnessing the girl's aerial abilities and having been regrettably scared off.

Although Will truly did yearn to be back home more than anything, besides her mother, she hadn't really anyone else waiting for her there, when she thought about it . . . no one whom she could have honestly deemed _true_ companions, anyhow.

_But . . . maybe the real reason why I've never really been able to truly connect with anyone before was never because I wouldn't allow it, like I always thought . . . but because it turns out that I'm different_ , Will pensively grimaced as the possible realization washed over her with a stinging coldness, while simultaneously listening to Irma respond within natural ignorance to her current woes.

"Ahh, a fellow East Coaster, right on, right on! So you went from maple syrup and dairy products, to seafood and corn chowder – Neat!" Irma remarked with a smirk, stopping within her tracks a moment as she turned her head to look at a now clearly befuddled Will. " _Sorry_. I know, random. That's just me doing what The Prof told me to do and _re_ -review my notes for my 'U.S. History' test on Monday. I've been staring at that damned textbook for _so_ long this past week that I feel like my _head's_ gonna explode . . . but, hey! At least I now know that _something's_ actually been absorbed, right? So, thanks for that, Will!"

Will couldn't help but chuckle at the naturally comedic girl's declaration as they then resumed their mutual trek, privately deciding that, in spite of herself, if she saw Irma again after today that that necessarily would not be such a terrible thing. . . .

After only another minute or so of walking within renewed silence, Irma abruptly stopped in front of what Will just then realized to be her dorm room, as her brown eyes met with the large, golden brass number of 'fifteen' perched within the middle of the white door.

"Here we are! Welcome to the East Wing, by the way, where you'll find only the _Girls_ ' Dormitories, so don't bother holding your breath thinking that you might be sharing your room with some hottie boy, as _they're_ all crammed together over on the _West_ Wing within the Boys Dormitories, 'natch," Irma stated with a purposefully dramatic sigh, before shifting one of Will's duffle bags onto her other shoulder so that she could open the door for them both. "Might suck for _you_ , I guess, being the new girl and all and wanting to check out the meat – And I don't mean it like _that_ , thanks – but when you've been here as long as _I_ have, the prospect of living day to day with any potential boyfriend becomes _far_ less appealing than what's initially imagined within your head, _trust_ me. . . ."

Will's cheeks grew a bit rosy as she suddenly realized for the very first time since arriving to her new school that she indeed would be cohabiting with the opposite sex for the next few years, even in spite of having previously seen quite a few of them roaming about the halls, as well as outside as furthered indication.

Considering she had been in only _one_ relationship within her life when she was fourteen, and it had ended rather poorly, not to mention also before it even really got _started_ , Will wasn't exactly what one would refer to as a relationship expert.

So now knowing that these random boys would be able to see her around the clock, on both her good days _and_ her bad, _and_ also now with the added bonus of being an uncontrollable mutant, she was fairly positive that her chances of dating anyone new wasn't suddenly going to increase. . . .

As Irma gently pushed the dorm room door open with her left shoulder, Will let out an abrupt gasp at what she saw next.

". . . . _This_ is my room?" she breathed within sheer awe, slowly stepping inside after a now chortling Irma, who continued to lead the way before carefully placing Will's bags down onto the hardwood floor and up against the cream colored wall behind the door. "My bedroom back home is like a _shoe box_ by comparison!"

It was true.

Although a bit on the small side, Will had grown to love her old bedroom in Heatherfield, and truly made it her own, particularly by way of decorating it with far more amphibian paraphernalia than she could now possibly count throughout the years, as frogs were her absolute weakness . . . among _all_ types of animals, actually.

_This_ room, however, was something straight out of a millionaire's dream, what with its light pink, velvet drapes elegantly covering the three, large bay windows which welcomed a view to a peaceful looking balcony on the other side. There was even a cozy, beautifully crafted marble fireplace inside of the room, as well, with a gold and white, antique chaise longue placed before it, and yet another, incredibly expensive looking chandelier hanging delicately above it from the ceiling.

"Boy, if you're this impressed by just the dormitories, wait until you peep out the _rest_ of this place," Irma remarked with a large, knowing grin, stretching out her arms in front of her before lazily pointing toward the two, identical king sized and ritzy looking canopy beds on the far left and right hand sides of the vast bedroom. "I mean, obviously you'll have a roomie just like the rest of us – Well, unless you're an _upperclassmen_ , then you get the sweet, sweet honor of having this _allll_ to yourself . . . which, honestly, when you think about it, is kinda moot, considering by the time _that_ happens it's usually your final year here, anyway, so who really cares? But, _a-anyway!_ Wonder who'll be your bunk mate – Hopefully you'll get along! _I_ lucked out and have been roommates with my bestie, Hay Lin, ever since we both coincidentally arrived here on the same day two years ago, so living together is _super_ cake . . . well, minus her ironic tendency to _snore_ , sometimes. . . ."

Will's previous smile began to fade as she not only learned that Irma was apparently rather close to the girl she'd been more or less rude to by running away from earlier, but also the fact that the redhead would soon have another complete stranger be her roommate.

". . . . Do you think there's any way I could get to live in here by myself, even though I'm not an upperclassmen, yet?" she quietly asked, her oncoming anxiety nearly beckoning her yet to be controlled powers to return as she'd only just then noticed that there really _were_ two beds within the room instead of the expected one.

Irma hadn't seemed to notice, however, as she simply waved a hand within dismissal at the prospect.

" _Pfft!_ Better mutants than you have tried and failed miserably, m'dear! No worries, though! _Whomever_ will be sharing this room with you might not have even enrolled, yet, so you could be in here all by your lonesome for weeks, or even _months_ on end!" she remarked with a smirk a moment, before it curiously faded away as her turquoise colored eyes suddenly appeared to hold an unexpected look of understanding the longer she stared at Will. ". . . . Hey . . . in all seriousness, though – Which, I know, _shocker_ for someone like me, seems like – but . . . I _do_ get it. . . ."

At this, Will felt her body tense up within discomfort, quickly bending down in front of one of her duffle bags as though looking for something, in order to hopefully conceal her true emotions as best she could . . . and silently prayed that her powers wouldn't flare up at any moment.

"H-Huh? I don't . . . I don't think I understand what you mean, Irma," she responded as casually as she could, unzipping one of her bags and began randomly rummaging about inside, as she could then curiously hear the brunette's still bare footsteps echoing from behind across the floor and over to what Will then chanced a peak to see was evidently the bathroom.

Neither girl said anything more as Will's eyebrow slightly arched out of wonder while watching, now less discreetly, as Irma opened the lavatory door and walked inside only a few steps . . . before curiously stopping in front of the sink.

Catching the other girl's facial expression of sheer perplexity, Irma smiled softly and held up an index finger into the air as she at last spoke.

"J-Just –! Bear with me, here, okay? I'm better at explaining things with visual aids," she announced with another smile as Will slowly stood back up and nodded, wrapping her arms around herself protectively as she willed herself to take a step toward her.

". . . . A-All right, I guess," she replied nervously, already beginning her meditative breathing and hoping that the discussion did not become too personal as she already sensed, as Irma clapped her hands together within excitement.

" _Yes!_ I always enjoy giving these kinds of pep talks! Okay! Sooo . . . here's the thing: _However_ you might be feeling right now, you know, about being here, being a _mutant_ , and _whatever_ circumstances which might have brought you here, I'm telling you right now that it's absolutely, one-hundred percent _okay_ to keep feeling it!" she started with a firm nod and chuckle, especially once having caught sight of Will's clearly taken aback expression upon hearing so. "No, seriously! Look, even though I've only been here for two years, like I said, I have already seen _sooo_ many different people, from _all_ walks of life enter this school and walk these halls, Will, each with _such_ unique stories and reasoning behind their mutant abilities, and how or why they ended up here. And I've seen some of them easily accept whom they are, no problem, whether they've always known they were mutants, or just found out the day before coming here, or something . . . and then I've seen others have quite the uphill battle before they could say the same, regardless. . . . My point to all of this, Will, is that while we all may be mutants, living together under the same roof as we learn to better control and understand our powers, we're all still very much _people_ , with varying emotions just . . . trying to figure out what all of this will mean for us down the line, really. So . . . it's okay if you feel like you might want to hide away for the next _century_ or so, because believe it or not it does, and _will_ get easier, bit by bit. . . ."

Irma suddenly felt her face becoming incredibly hot as she watched as Will blink rapidly at her, as though she had been invisible that entire time and had suddenly appeared before her within that moment.

"O-Oh – ! _C'mon_ , now! I know that I've been joking around with you up to now, but I _do_ have a levelheaded, super insightful side, too!" she huffed with a light frown, before both girls began to giggle simultaneously, something which, unbeknownst to the brunette, greatly surprised Will.

"I-I'm sorry, Irma, really! I'm just . . . _really_ glad to hear someone my _own_ age say hopeful stuff like that about being a mutant, is all. . . . I've been . . . sort of getting more or less the same sort of 'pep talks' from either my mom, or Professor Lin within the last two weeks, basically," Will mindfully revealed with a faint smile, uncharacteristically choosing to take a chance to let her . . . possible new friend at _least_ know that she certainly wasn't one of the more 'seasoned mutants,' whom she was quite sure were undoubtedly roaming about on campus. ". . . . That's when I, um . . . actually first found out that I was a mutant to begin with . . . and when Professor Lin came to meet with me and my mom about coming to this school to . . . to learn how to better control my powers. . . ."

Will swiftly shut down any chance of images of that fateful day to naturally flash within her mind just then, while it was Irma's turn to raise both eyebrows within surprise.

"Oh, _wow_ , only two weeks ago? _Man!_ I mean, I had a strong feeling that you might have been squarely within the 'I-never-knew-I-had-mutant-powers-until-they-suddenly-sprang-up-out-of-nowhere' category, but I had no idea you were _that_ wet behind the ears," she remarked lightheartedly, before quickly apologizing upon catching sight of Will's embarrassed, and slightly offended facial expression. "I-I'm _sorry_ , Will, really! I wasn't trying to make light of your situation – Well, I mean I _was_ , but not within a dismissive, 'it doesn't matter' kind of way. . . . _Anyway_ , so . . . I take it, then, that your folks never told you about any of this, then, huh, or. . . .?"

" _No_ , Irma . . . no one did," Will automatically replied with another scowl, looking away from Irma, who now felt all the more guilty for having clearly touched upon a sore subject.

Biting down onto her rose colored lip, Irma slowly nodded her head before freely stating, "Hey, it's cool, Will. Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do, you know? But . . . don't feel too bad, though. I mean, for example I . . . came from the completely opposite spectrum in that. That is, I've always known growing up that there was a chance I could be a mutant like my mom was, God rest, thanks to my dad never wanting to hide away that part of whom she was – Who _I_ am – from me. . . . Still, even though I knew all of this and was so _totally_ ready for whatever powers I'd possess to finally manifest, once they _had_ three years ago, I was _anything_ but prepared. . . . Thankfully, though, I've come a _longgg_ way since then, although I'm still very much a work in progress, I'll admit it!"

Admittedly still rather curious as to why Irma apparently felt the need to convey her entire inspirational message within Will's new, fanciful bathroom, she slowly cleared her throat before finally inquiring.

". . . . O-Okay . . . thanks, Irma, really, for this. . . . I do mean it, since it's honestly really _not_ been easy for me at _all_ to fully wrap my head around this entire situation, but . . . why'd you need to . . . 'use' my bathroom to do it?" Will asked with a tilt of her crimson head, slowly lowering her arms back to her side as both girls then shared a timid smile of mutual appreciation.

Again, Irma quickly held up a finger into the air at this, her smile rapidly growing as she proudly reached for the clear, small drinking glass Will only just then noticed was set upon the corner of the granite sink, and carefully turned on the faucet.

Momentarily believing that the naturally comedic girl simply needed to quench her thirst before proceeding within the admittedly forthcoming conversation, Will's brown eyes nonetheless slowly widened within justifiable apprehension at the sight, feeling her heart beginning to race.

As though she'd needed _another_ reason to thoroughly detest her mutant abilities, one of the _biggest_ Will had for doing so currently was the fact that it had effectively taken away her love of the water, namely, _swimming_ , perhaps for good.

Her mother had attempted, rather fruitlessly at that, to reassure Will that all was not lost, and that there would always be a spot upon any new swim team the previously avid swimmer would have wished to join within the future.

" _. . . . This isn't the end of everything, sweetie. It really isn't. . . . It simply means that, for now, and until we figure this all out and you've gotten a better handle over your powers, it would probably be very smart to avoid actively using them whenever around any water, that's all,"_ her mother had weakly advised the day after Will's mutation had awakened, having unknowingly triggered a whole other level of mental anguish for the redhead, where her powers were concerned.

Will had honestly been so focused simply trying to keep them under control at all, while also trying to cope with them existing within the first place that she hadn't before yet realized that water was now her greatest adversary, effectively ceasing her normal personal hygiene routine, to say the least. . . .

As Will's cheeks grew rosy upon briefly wondering if all of the baby wipes she'd stocked up on before leaving, _and_ had been using within secret ever since her powers had manifested, would continue to do its job of cleanliness now that she was once again actively among the adolescent populace, she'd quickly opened her now terribly parched lips to possibly excuse herself from the area until Irma was completely done with her drink.

"U-Um, Irma? D-Do you think you could -" was all Will was able to get out, before the next several moments had become an honest blur.

Before either girl could possibly stop the other, Will watched helplessly as Irma eagerly raised her right hand over the filled glass of water still being gingerly held within her left, before the clear liquid suddenly began to lift itself straight out of it and into the air . . . at the same time that Will's Electrokinesis effortlessly sprang up to the surface, completely engulfing her entire body.

" _And_ I'm even able to make different shapes with it, too, kinda, and –!" Irma began to explain with esteemed pride, her cyan eyes completely trained upon the current manipulations she was making with her glass of water, before gazing momentarily at her new friend to see her hopefully pleased reaction.

Instead, however, upon suddenly witnessing Will generating what the redhead could now only assume to be one of Irma's _own_ personal weaknesses, the brunette's previous confidence effortlessly disintegrated as she then let out a sharp cry of understanding alarm, before jumping back completely away from her.

Unfortunately for _both_ girls, however, doing so only did far more harm than good, as the glass previously secure within Irma's hand shattered into several pieces as it unceremoniously hit the bathroom floor, causing whatever leftover amount of water which had still been inside of it, as well as that which had been previously levitating within the air under Irma's now broken concentration to directly drench Will within the process. . . .

" _Ahhhh!_ " the redhead let out a bone chilling scream of immense pain, her partially soaked, still _very_ much electrified and convulsing body then turning completely rigid a few moments, before her eyes alarmingly rolled straight into the back of her head . . . and she collapsed down onto the cold floor within dangerously immediate unconsciousness.

"Oh, my _God_ , Will! _Shit!_ Shit, shit, _shit!_ I'm so sorry!" Irma swiftly sprang into action, seemingly not at all phased by the fact that her bare feet were now ruthlessly cut open and bleeding as a result of carelessly stepping onto the various bits of broken glass upon closing the distance between Will, and herself.

Although she had lost consciousness, Will's body was still crackling and emitting random sparks of electricity for a few more moments, causing Irma to bite down hard onto her lower lip within her own physical pain, now that she was gently attempting to lift the other girl up onto her lap while it was still occurring.

" _Mmmph!_ T-Thank . . . _God_ for my . . . e-endurance training!" Irma hissed in between lingering waves of agony, which certainly stung far more than she would have liked, considering that her still bleeding feet were now lightly moist with her discarded water. "Oh, Will, wake up, _please!_ I-I'm so sorry! I didn't know that you were Electrokinetic! _Shit_ , what I wouldn't give to have _healing_ powers right n -!"

"- What happened? We heard _screaming_ in here, and -! _I-Irma?_ What did you do?"

As though on cue, or perhaps even sensing somehow that her particular powers would be of great need, Irma only just managed to suppress a sharp exhale of immediate aggravation upon hearing the unfortunately very familiar, very _stern_ voice of her . . . 'frenemy,' at best, Cornelia Hale.

"Oh, you know _me_ , Corny! I was feeling bored today so thought I'd try a bit of _attempted murder_ with one of the new students!" Irma snapped angrily as she whirled her head around in time to watch a statuesque, blue eyed blonde sprint into Will's now reopened dormitory, and promptly crouched down to their side. "J-Just shut _up_ and use your _preciously_ new healing powers on her, already, will you?"

"Oh, my God! Are you guys _okay?_ " both Irma and the still very visibly perturbed Cornelia could then hear a very terrified sounding Hay Lin shout from the wide open doorway, rushing to her best friend's side as another, much older woman with long, elegantly braided salt and pepper colored hair appeared and followed suit. "I-I came back inside to see if I couldn't find Will again and help her settle into her dorm when the three of us heard the screaming! Thank God _you_ were nearby, Professor Starlighter!"

_Yeah . . . good thing for Will, but not so good for me. Between 'Miss Stick in the Mud,' here, and now her idol, Professor Starlighter thrown into the mix, I know that I'll never hear the end of all this_ , Irma thought acrimoniously with slightly gritted teeth a moment, shifting a bit away and out of the bathroom altogether before gingerly setting Will's still, comatose form onto the wooden floor of the bedroom area.

Temporarily clearing her mind of any mounting negativity and natural guilt as best she could, Irma inhaled slowly and unknowingly held it as she closed her eyes, blindly extending her right hand over Will's damp body and focusing her Hydrokinetic abilities onto every last droplet which had penetrated the girl's formerly dry clothing and bobbed red hair.

After only a few moments of continued concentration, Irma softly smiled knowingly as she successfully used her dominion over water by intricately evaporating all which had been upon Will's body, before reopening her eyes and finally releasing her breath within a sharp exhale of relief.

Knowing what was to come next, Irma then automatically cleared out of the way, allowing the austere looking woman to freely pass and swiftly descend upon the injured redhead, who was now carefully being looked over by a still very much scowling Cornelia.

Wincing a bit as she gingerly applied her full body weight onto both feet, looking down a moment to notice the few, blood soaked footprints glaring back at her upon the previously unmarred and smooth, hardwood floor, Irma did not hesitate to promptly relay the previous chain of events to her educator.

"I-It . . . It was _my_ fault, ultimately, Professor Starlighter. I was . . . doing what Hay Lin apparently came to do, helping Will get settled into her room when I decided to . . . show her my Hydrokinesis," she explained grievously, forcing herself to maintain steady eye contact toward the oldest woman within the room, whose caramel tanned hands began to glow within a strong, consistent emerald illumination as she looked over the other girl in question.

"Are you _kidding_ me? You couldn't resist clowning around for _two seconds_ of your life, that you ended up endangering a fellow student by nearly _drowning_ her?" Cornelia suddenly snapped before she could stop herself, glaring daggers at the now fuming brunette, who was secretly wishing that they were within the middle of one of their training sessions so that she'd have the _excuse_ to use her powers on _her_ , instead. . . .

" _E-Excuse_ me? My mutant powers don't involve _Telepathy_ , thank you, so I didn't _know_ upfront that Will was Electrokinetic before I used them, Cornelia! So why don't y -"

"- That is _enough!_ It does not _matter_ the circumstances, at present! Right _now_ , we _must_ focus our attention onto healing this poor girl, before she might sustain any lingering injuries," the older woman known as Professor Starlighter impatiently interrupted, her gray eyes shifting coolly away from a visibly bothered Irma, then onto an immediately apologetic looking Cornelia, whose peaches and cream complexion suddenly became lightly dusted a deep fuchsia. "Now . . . Cornelia, _you_ shall do the healing, while I will tend to the apparent wounds of Miss Lair's. . . ."

"W-Wait, _what?_ " both Irma and Cornelia asked at the same time within mutually unexpected surprise, while an ever silent Hay Lin, who had gently seized her best friend's left arm within comforting support during the previous outburst, abruptly gasped sharply at the news.

Her warm, chocolate eyes then widened within shock upon apparently having at last taken notice of the otherwise obvious, bloodied foot marks left by the wounded brunette moments prior, and now delicately wrapped both of her arms protectively around Irma's shoulders.

"You're _bleeding_ , Irma! I-I didn't even see it until now, because of all the chaos, I'm sorry! H-How did it happen? Sit, _sit!_ Listen to Professor Starlighter and let her heal you!" she pleaded within overwhelming concern as she began to apply gentle pressure upon Irma's body in order to prompt her to sit upon the floor as requested.

Irma couldn't help but feel thankful that the naturally compassionate girl was there with her for that entire ordeal as she faintly smiled at her, though she chose not to respond to her inquiry, knowing that it would most probably only garner more unwanted drama from the ridiculously serious blonde before her.

Professor Starlighter did not need, nor want any sort of explanation, herself, apparently, as she merely extended a still glowing hand out to Irma to help her sit next to her, before momentarily returning her attention back onto a now silent, and very troubled looking Cornelia.

". . . . You have been training to better harness your new 'Geokinetic Regeneration' for the last two months, now, and have already progressed quite splendidly," the dark haired woman declared within a surprisingly sudden, soothing tone, her previously uptight demeanor visibly calming as her luminescent hands then began to intensify within brightness. ". . . Just do it as we've been practicing, Cornelia. . . . Clear your mind, calm your senses, and focus upon channeling that same _warmth_ you feel whenever utilizing your other Geokinetic abilities into healing this young girl. . . ."

Although she still appeared to be quite apprehensive, a characteristic which both Irma and Hay Lin knew all too well _not_ to be among the tall blonde's personal traits, Cornelia said nothing more as she instead slowly closed her crisp, blue eyes and began to concentrate.

Within nearly an instant, both of Cornelia's svelte hands were now also glowing the same, green hue as her mentor, although notably much weaker within magnitude, by comparison.

Regardless, Professor Starlighter smiled within obvious approval and slight nod, as both women began to simultaneously mimic one another within their dual curative ministrations.

Irma couldn't help but let out a deep sigh of immediate relief, already feeling the familiar sensations of her instructor's healing abilities washing over her entire body as Professor Starlighter delicately hovered her powerfully radiating hands over both cut open, and red stained feet.

As the wounds rapidly began to close and the bleeding ceased, Cornelia continued on with her own healing, her eyes remaining firmly closed as she appeared to instinctively glide her glowing palms across the redhead's unconscious body.

Despite their obvious differences, Irma was secretly well aware of just how capable the serious-minded blonde was regarding her mutant powers, admittedly more so than she presently was with her _own_ , and so was currently silently rooting for her to succeed.

_Come on, Corny . . . I know you wouldn't want to miss your chance to openly show me up with your powers, and in front of The Prof, so . . . do it, already. Wake Will up . . . please_ , Irma thought anxiously as she managed to smile appreciatively at Professor Starlighter, whose hands had just then finished glowing once her previous remedying had been successfully completed.

After another few moments had passed without any apparent change within progress, Irma was about to openly suggest that perhaps their obviously more proficient professor should take over, when Will's eyes abruptly snapped open as she _thankfully_ regained consciousness . . . at the same time that it appeared as though Cornelia was about to lose _hers_.

"W-Will, you're _okay!_ "

"Cornelia, are you _okay?_ " both Irma and Hay Lin cried out simultaneously, each moving over to the girl they'd called out to, with contrasting emotions presently running through them.

Professor Starlighter, as well, quickly moved to be in between both the blonde and redhead, as Will then let out a sharp gasp as she promptly bolted upright, just as Cornelia was about to weakly topple over and into Hay Lin's ready arms.

". . . . W-What . . . What happened?" Will asked in between shaky breaths, looking about the dormitory at each new and unexpected face, before settling her gaze onto a tremendously shamefaced looking Irma.

". . . . You are going to be just fine, now, child. From what I have gathered from this situation, your fellow student, Irma, had accidentally doused you with some water, and . . . 'shorted you out' within the process," Professor Starlighter thankfully explained before Irma could have, although she certainly did not wish to . . . not _again_. "It is a particular occurrence not at all uncommon with mutants who possess electricity based abilities such as yourself, especially during the earlier stages of their mutation. . . . With time, however, you can easily learn to successfully suppress, or at _least_ greatly minimize the backlash whenever wet. Until then, Cornelia, here, was able to heal you to better speed up your recovery, although . . . it would appear that it might have been too great a task for her to handle. . . ."

" _N-No_ , P . . . Professor Starlighter! I-I'm f . . . _fine!_ It was just . . . I'd never before healed multiple wounds at once until now, _especially_ not internal, but . . . I-I did it," Cornelia relayed breathlessly as she gingerly pushed herself away from Hay Lin's physical support and firmly nodded at the now visibly concerned older woman, whose focus was beginning to dart back and forth onto all four of her pupils with extreme care.

She almost looked very much like a motherly figure to Irma within that moment, witnessing the more elusive, tender side to her otherwise disciplinary personality, as the brunette continued watching Professor Starlighter carry on within her attentive surveillance of each student.

Will, now beyond utterly bewildered, slowly shook her now throbbing head as she shakily attempted to stand up.

". . . .'S-Shorted Out?' I-I don't. . . ." she weakly trailed off, her mind still honestly a complete haze as both Irma and Hay Lin, whom Will had just then realized to curiously be inside of the dormitory with them both, immediately rushed to help her onto her feet. "I-I'm sorry, I . . . I'm just still feeling pretty . . . _drained_ , to be honest. . . ."

" _Also_ another downside, I'm afraid. I'd imagine that you will find attempting to generate even a simple _spark_ to be quite the struggle, at least for a little while. Nothing that some ample rest could not remedy," Will turned her now timid, guilt ridden gaze away from Hay Lin, whose own expression was undeniably riddled with worry, onto the unfamiliar woman whom she assumed to be yet another teacher at the school.

As though apparently having read her thoughts, a feat which Will was slowly beginning to believe was highly possible at such an establishment, the black and white haired female lightly smiled at her as she stood, stepping closer to her before extending her left hand out.

"Forgive me; I am Professor Kadma Starlighter, and . . . your name was Will, yes? You apparently have already met Miss Lin, here, as well as Miss Lair, obviously, but in case you two have _not_ yet introduced yourselves, again, this is Cornelia Hale, the one who'd cured you, as I'd said," the eldest woman cordially informed as Will hesitantly took her hand and briefly shook it. "Now . . . I think we had better get all three of you down to the Infirmary for further evaluation – _Especially_ you, Will, to make absolutely _certain_ that you're all right. Hay Lin, if you wouldn't mind assisting me. . . ."

"Y-Yes, of course, Professor Starlighter!" Hay Lin promptly complied, stepping toward an uncharacteristically mute and rather pensive Irma, Will noticed, and gently wrapped her right arm around the brunette's waist to lend her leaning support before exiting the room.

Will was honestly far too physically depleted to readily object to her newest professor's instruction, sensing a little bit that she possibly would not appreciate her pupil having done so, and so tiredly nodded, before casting an appreciative glance toward the solemn blonde now standing next to her.

Quickly surveying the taller girl's overall appearance, noting that she looked to be as fatigued as she presently felt made Will feel an overwhelming sense of fault for apparently having been the direct cause, as she then recalled Cornelia's previous admission regarding never having healed 'multiple wounds at once' before then . . . which caused a shiver to run down her spine at the thought.

_. . . . Just how badly was I messed up before she . . . fixed me?_ Will silently wondered with a worried frown as she allowed herself to be led out of her temporarily singles' dormitory, her mind positively swirling with darkening thoughts over the latest, _literally_ painful discovery regarding her mutant powers. _If . . . If the end result wouldn't involve me always passing out within excruciating agony, then I think I'd be tempted to always . . . 'Short Out' and keep my powers at bay on a regular basis, if it meant that I wouldn't have to go another day being like this. . . ._

As the group of women quietly exited the room, so too had _any_ remainder of the brief prospect of possessing at least a _relatively_ normal future, something which Will had honestly been beginning to feel was still possible once more, during her emotionally exposed conversation with the unexpectedly Hydrokinetic Irma.

_I wish I'd never become a mutant. . . ._

**\- End of Chapter One**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -  
> This story/chapter was written/created in December 2016.  
> -

Given that she was a mutant, a _teenager_ , at that, with the ability to manipulate _any_ earthly substance (at least, presumably so, as she had stubbornly yet to fully unlock her true potential), sixteen-year-old Cornelia Hale had become rather accustomed to the unpredictability of day to day . . . despite doing her absolute best to control to the contrary, given her rather punctilious personality.

In fact, even having fully realized that she really _wasn't_ like 'everyone else,' the moment that her powers had finally manifested four years ago, had done little to dissuade her overall knack for rolling with the punches, and proceeding accordingly.

Of course, it _had_ helped that the young blonde's parents, Harold and Elizabeth, had always raised both she and her baby sister, Lillian, to carry themselves as though they really were different than others, or _better_ , even . . . although in retrospect, perhaps it had less to do with their wealthy station within life, as Cornelia had always believed growing up, but now more so to do with the fact that all four members of the Hale family were proudly endowed with varying mutant abilities.

At least, _presumably_ all four members, as Lillian, last Cornelia had been updated from her parents, still had yet to display any sort of inkling of mutant power, much to the nine-year-old's chagrin . . . _and_ her big sister's secret _delight_.

After all, if there was one thing Cornelia took great pride within, it was cultivating and nurturing every last talent and skill she'd had at her disposal, be it her ten-year figure skating career, her scholastic endeavors, and now, her terra firma based mutant abilities.

Sure, it hadn't turned out to be the ability to pass through physical matter like her father, or the admittedly _obnoxious_ ability to _instantly_ mimic observed movements like her mother . . . which, if she was perfectly honest with herself, was most probably one of Cornelia's main, driving forces while growing up to always be at the top of her game, no matter the situation or odds.

It certainly hadn't been an easy thing to witness as a child, after all, not yet fully comprehending precisely _how_ the already highly vain and opinionated Elizabeth would immediately excel at any physical feat laid out before her, simply by just _watching_ another person do it . . . while her then young, and only daughter at the time would naturally still be learning, and at times even struggling, with perhaps a few of the very same things. . . .

To her credit, at least, Elizabeth had been kind enough not to openly exercise her Adoptive Muscle Memory abilities around either one of her daughters throughout the _later_ years, particularly once a crying, and truly cross seven-year-old Cornelia had outright decided to quit trying to learn figure skating, altogether, and anything _else_ for that matter.

It was also when both Elizabeth and Harold had at last decided to have 'The Talk' in full with their child, apparently feeling that perhaps Cornelia was finally old enough to better understand what mutants were, and exactly what it meant to be one. . . .

That specific memory would always cause Cornelia to feel great shame, as it was now honestly rather difficult for the mature, levelheaded young woman to imagine attempting to throw in the towel over _anything_ ever again . . . yet it would also flood her heart with the at times infrequent, familial tenderness toward her sometimes unbearably strict mother, as Cornelia would feel grateful that the older woman had been willing to tone down an ability she truly did cherish, in order for both of her daughters to have the opportunity to thrive without any future inadequacies . . . which was something, despite their admitted lack of overall closeness, Cornelia was rather thankful Lillian wouldn't have to worry about, whenever the time came for her own mutant abilities to manifest.

Still, the fierce competitor within Cornelia was perfectly fine with being the only Hale Sister with a currently active mutant power, going on four years strong, now, and advancing more and more each day that she was there at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , soaking in every lesson and training session with immense gusto.

Sometimes Cornelia would often wonder the sort of mutant she would shape out to be today, had she not accepted the invitation to enroll years prior, and instead allowed the both of her _parents_ to guide her, as they had adamantly offered to at the time . . . and _still_ would, on and off, to this day.

Would she still obtain the thankful wisdom that the occasional restraint over sheer, raw power is sometimes the best course of action, or that loss, as personally grating as that still was for her to readily accept at times, did _not_ equate to total failure, as she had previously held onto, growing up?

_Or_ , would she still be every bit of the condescending elitist as she had been when she'd first arrived, eager to show off her newfound powers to any fellow student who would even simply _look_ her way?

_Sometimes the road less traveled by can make all the difference_ , Cornelia mused with a faint smile as she casually made her way down the grand staircase of the school's foyer that Sunday afternoon, and on her way to lunch within the quite spacious communal dining hall. _After all, if I hadn't enrolled here, then I would have never met –_

_\- Cornelia? Would you meet me within my study, please?_ Cornelia nearly let out an uncharacteristic shriek of alarm as she abruptly heard the sound of a familiar, male sounding voice echoing within her mind . . . however, not because of the actual occurrence, itself, but because of what, or rather, _whom_ she had been previously thinking about. . . .

By now, of course, she was rather used to her Headmaster and Founder of the school, Himerish Kandrakar, utilizing his Telepathic abilities within various, incredibly impressive ways . . . including effortlessly infiltrating the minds of any one of his colleagues or students in order to communicate, like so.

Still, it was another thing _entirely_ to have it happen while within the middle of an _immensely_ guarded train of thought which no one was yet privy to . . . or so she'd _hoped!_

Shaking her sunlit colored head, as though to further shake away the disturbing notion, Cornelia immediately collected herself before mentally responding, _Of course, Professor. I'll be right down_ , and made her way down the rest of the stairwell, taking a right instead of the intended left toward the dining hall as originally planned.

Although she was currently feeling rather famished, having spent the last two consecutive hours locked within peaceful meditation within Professor Kadma Starlighter's private garden as part of her continued training regarding her newly acquired healing abilities, Cornelia knew better than to ignore a personal summons from any one of her instructors, but Professor Kandrakar, _especially_.

There were quite a number of truly powerful mutants currently within attendance at that school, she was willing to admit, with each of her teachers quite predominantly at the top; however, none would, or perhaps ever _could_ surpass Himerish Kandrakar, this Cornelia was well aware without a doubt . . . even _with_ her admittedly at times over the top admiration for Professor Starlighter.

Nonetheless, her overall reverence toward her Headmaster was _just_ as fierce and true, especially her loyalty, to the point of having been branded the 'Headmaster's Pet' by several of her fellow pupils, including her _already_ vexing enough associate, Irma Lair . . . who was probably the one who'd started its otherwise covert circulation, the more Cornelia thought about it.

Not that she cared one iota what _any_ of the students thought, naturally, particularly where it concerned giving her full, unwavering support to the man who'd become the undeniable catalyst within _grounding_ her, and shaping her into the better mutant, better _person_ she was today.

Were it not for Professor Kandrakar, indeed _each_ of her professors, Cornelia would most probably still be needlessly flaunting her powers about, all while still holding onto the previous notion that because she was a mutant, she was above it all, above all _humans_.

She still was _far_ from perfect, possessing lingering moments here and there, like her _parents_ , but Cornelia knew without a doubt that while she was proud to be who she was, she'd never wish to go back to that unavailing frame of mind, and did her best to readily snuff it out of any _other_ student who might have felt the same way she once had.

Of course, it hasn't been terribly hard to 'stay on course,' so to speak, anyway, not with. . . .

Cornelia inhaled sharply as she quickly shut down her renewed thoughts, not wishing to take the risk that Professor Kandrakar could still be listening in, especially not when she was now right in front of the door to his study.

True, he had yet to show active signs of abusing his telepathic abilities in such an encroaching manner during her four year stay at the school, but Cornelia didn't wish to take any unnecessary chances. . . .

"I'm here, Professor Kandrakar. What is it that you wanted to -" Cornelia began as she briefly knocked upon the beige colored door before gently pushing it open, her heart nearly jumping straight into her throat as her ice blue eyes unexpectedly rested upon the very person she had been resisting thinking about.

_Elyon Brown_.

Cornelia's very first, and only _best_ friend made when she'd first arrived to the school, her personal, _friendly_ rival yet simultaneous cheerleader where strengthening each of their mutant powers was concerned . . . and, more recently, her secret _crush_.

Cornelia hadn't known which had been far more surprising: the apparent fact that she was now also romantically attracted to _girls_ in addition to boys _,_ or the fact that it just so happened to be the person whom, up until said realization, had always been more like another _sister_ to her more than anything else throughout their four year friendship. . . .

She certainly hadn't been _trying_ to fall in love with Elyon, indeed with _anyone_ at that school, as she had been, and still was very much committed to her studies and overall mutant training.

However, a lesson that another one of her teachers, Professor Cassidy Chacon, would like to habitually impart to her students, was that life could take many unexpected turns, but it should be _embraced_ , not run from.

Easier said than done, as Cornelia would strongly wager that that woman hadn't ever had to worry about the ramifications of possessing romantic feelings for one of her close friends, one of her fellow _roommates_ at that . . . or, worse yet, what would happen if it ever became open knowledge to them. . . .

And thus, until she'd found a way to completely bury her newfound affections, Cornelia would have to uncharacteristically, although quite _gladly_ , flee and shy away from them, all for the sake of her friendship with the truly kind, and generous girl, something which meant more to her than anything.

But . . . _boy_ , was it becoming harder and harder to do, especially whenever Cornelia was _actively_ around Elyon, or whenever any of the male students would lately attempt chatting the smaller girl up, she'd irritatingly notice.

Of course, she, too, would be flirted with, as Cornelia was well aware how physically attractive she was by nature, and how _many_ of the male population currently wished to become her 'lucky boyfriend.'

But none of that, none of _them_ mattered, or could even come close to compare to _Elyon_ , and what Cornelia was already feeling for her. . . .

None of _them_ were as thoughtful, _beautiful_ , or as talented . . . _or_ as adorably _shy_ , yet inviting as Elyon.

And none of _them_ were especially as _powerful_ a mutant as she was, either, even more so than Cornelia, to be certain . . . _and_ perhaps even majority of the school's student body, she was sure of it.

It was one of the more delicate topics between them which was rarely directly addressed – At least, not unless the situation called for it, such as during one of their mutual training sessions within the aptly named 'Danger Room,' but it wasn't _exactly_ a secret among the more seasoned mutants currently attending their school.

That Elyon was, what Professor Kandrakar had once explained to them both, an _"Omega level mutant, which is, in theory, at least, the most powerful class of mutants within existence,"_ during one of his past lessons which had later led to Cornelia learning quite early on that there were apparently different tiers, or 'classes' of mutant powers currently within world . . . which had temporarily reignited her childhood feelings of insufficiency to have learned, as she'd wonder for a time thereafter what class level _she'd_ fallen into, and even that of Professor Kandrakar, himself, as _he'd_ always appeared to be quite omnipotent within his own right.

Cornelia had never dared to pose a query regarding either wonder, however, even to this day, as besides it possibly coming off as a bit insubordinate in regards to her otherwise patient and kindhearted Headmaster, she did not wish to put a damper upon the, at the time, still developing friendship between Elyon and herself, if she ever did know the exact answer.

Besides, despite 'everyone' knowing, Elyon had never been one to flaunt her many abilities, not even during any of their shared training simulations, which would sometimes almost make Cornelia believe that perhaps the other girl was nowhere _near_ as almighty as Professor Kandrakar had claimed.

_Almost_.

For, during the rare moments she would allow herself the opportunity, Cornelia would see firsthand just _how_ powerful Elyon truly was and _then_ some, she was certain, the way she would unleash the array of versatile mutant abilities currently at her disposal, and quite possibly _counting_.

While it used to be rather intimidating, almost _frightening_ , to witness what this _one_ person, this _child_ at the time was already capable of, it now invoked a mixture of great pride, yet sadness for Cornelia, for while she personally wouldn't mind trading places with her best friend in order to possess such awesome strength, deep down she knew how sometimes Elyon would wish to do the same. . . .

She was well aware of how alienating it could at times feel for the extraordinarily gifted girl, especially being the only known Omega level mutant, at least at their school.

And it certainly wasn't as though Elyon could ever seek answers, or comfort from her family as to why she was born with such power, as she was an _orphan_ , having been taken in by Professor Kandrakar to live with him at the school as his ward since she was ten-years-old.

Still _, regardless_ of her origins, or whatever path her mutant abilities inevitably led her down, Cornelia knew that, no matter what, she was _always_ going to be there for Elyon, be it platonic within nature . . . or perhaps one day maybe even more than that. . . .

"Ahh, Cornelia. Thank you for arriving so promptly. Please, please! Come in," Professor Kandrakar welcomed kindly with a soft, thankfully oblivious smile (or so Cornelia certainly _wished_ ), beckoning the tall blonde into his immense, although inviting private study.

Both Cornelia and Elyon had been personally called forth into the middle aged man's office so many times throughout the years to discuss various topics that both girls had, by that point, committed its lavish, golden décor to memory.

With a quick, temporarily meek nod, Cornelia cleared her throat as she quietly closed the study's door behind her upon entering, sparing as casual a glance toward her warmly smiling best friend as possible, before making her way to her usual spot upon the plum colored love seat set adjacent to the habitually unlit fireplace to her right.

Apparently wishing to take in the sight of two of his top students before continuing, Professor Kandrakar did so from his place in front of his mahogany desk, watching calmly as Elyon removed herself from her previous spot in front of his large, floor length windows from behind him, and took a seat next to her steady companion for the past four years.

It was sometimes quite hard to believe, even for a mutant of his high caliber, how much his young ward had changed, and how _far_ she had come, since the moment Cornelia had first arrived at his school.

True, Elyon had already made great strides, both within her mutant abilities, as well as overall personality, both appearing to have gone hand and hand, as the then freshly orphaned girl was still understandably distraught over having lost the both of her parents within _such_ a tragic manner as a house fire. . . .

When he had first become her legal guardian, Himerish had smartly taken his time within fully immersing Elyon within the world of mutants, as it were, choosing instead to impart his vast knowledge upon their fellow kind bit by bit, as to better allow her time to properly grieve and then, eventually slowly heal.

It hadn't always been easy, of course, given that his institute was _literally_ created for the sole purpose of housing and fostering the individual powers of any and all fellow mutants willing to learn, and how to better control them; however, with the thankful, added aid of his longtime personnel and companions, the transition from Elyon's previous, so called mutant-free life, to what it was today had become gradually much more smooth as the years passed.

And when the day came that the young Elyon was _finally_ ready to talk about the night of her parents' demise and, more specifically, how _she_ had managed to survive the inferno, Himerish had been more than prepared and willing to delicately guide her through that direful moment via his immensely powerful telepathic abilities, mentally traveling into the previously jumbled landscape of her mind regarding that terrible night. . . .

It was _because_ of this, in fact, that Elyon had fully realized for the very first time what her mutant ability had been . . . at least, _one_ of them at that time.

" _. . . . You were able to escape the blazing wreckage, Elyon, due to your ability to teleport,"_ Himerish had quietly explained within an air of immense sympathy upon releasing them both from their previously established psychic link. _". . . . Our emotions can be quite powerful, but especially so for us as mutants. And so, the moment you'd awakened and realized what was going on that night, that your family's home was mysteriously and suddenly on fire, your fear response immediately set in and . . . that was what enabled your mutant power to manifest for the first time, teleporting you out of your burning bedroom and clear outside, where your neighbors had reportedly found you. . . ."_

A small and terribly cruel consolation for his young ward to have at last learned the full circumstances surrounding her curious survival, to be sure, and it had understandably taken Elyon _many_ a month to at least _attempt_ coming to terms with, but it had been a _necessary_ truth for her to learn if she was ever meant to continue forward within her new life.

And as much as he would like to believe that he, as Elyon's new guardian, had played an active role within her present, overall development, Himerish knew fully well that meeting and becoming eventually close friends with _Cornelia_ was what truly made all the difference.

True, he had quite obviously been there, every step of the way to help nurture Elyon's vast array of gifts, in addition to simply be as supportive as possible, but the precise change within the young teenager hadn't occurred until Cornelia had arrived.

Although more willing to actively use her growing powers and how to better control them as the years passed, Elyon hadn't shown _true_ commitment, nor any real, distinctive _confidence_ until Cornelia had enrolled, who'd certainly possessed _both_ within spades right from the very beginning.

Sometimes Himerish would often wonder how both blondes could _possibly_ get along, let alone become as close as _siblings_ as time went on, the way both were complete opposites, what with Elyon generally preferring to take the backseat and analyze every situation before proceeding, while _Cornelia_ was a natural born leader, and always ready to lead the charge.

Elyon, even before they'd met, had always been a bit withdrawn and socially awkward, although understandably so, considering, and even now would at times fall back to similar behavior here and there whenever placed within a new setting, Himerish would notice.

Meanwhile, from the very _moment_ she'd set foot upon school grounds did Cornelia immediately _captivate_ her fellow students, holding their attention and receiving their respect without very much effort, even when her formerly inexperienced, younger self had carried on and on about how powerful she was, and proceeded to utilize her Geokinetic abilities rather recklessly.

No matter their differences, however, it would always warm Himerish's heart to reflect upon how much both students truly _complimented_ the other, each bringing out the best within themselves, as Cornelia would, whether knowingly or not, _challenge_ Elyon to always strive for excellence and to do her absolute best, be it mutant or scholastically related . . . while Elyon would effortlessly bring out the more sincere, heart-warming and _affectionate_ side to Cornelia, a side which a fair amount of their fellow pupils, indeed even their teachers, have found to be otherwise quite elusive.

Wherever life was to lead them within the future, Himerish was quite positive that both girls would remain within each other's lives forever. . . .

Clearing her throat, a bit uneasily, he'd curiously noticed, Cornelia shifted a bit within her seat as she politely asked, ". . . . You wanted to see me – _Us_ about something, Professor?"

Lightly shaking his head as he allowed his previous reminiscing to fade away from the forefront of his very special mind, Professor Kandrakar then gently rubbed at the back of his smooth, bald head before nodding within response.

"Yes, yes, of course, Cornelia, of course! Apologies for having gotten temporarily lost within thought, as _well_ preventing you from enjoying your afternoon meal, but I've a bit of a favor to ask of you. You, _and_ Elyon, to be more precise," he calmly explained with another warm smile, placing the both of his strong, slightly calloused hands upon either side of his body, and rested them against the edge of his smoothly polished desk.

At this, Cornelia immediately shook her cornflower colored head within respectful dismissal, as her Headmaster knew that she would, her peaches and cream complexion taking on a much more sobering look.

"Not at all, Professor. You know that both Elyon and I are _always_ ready to drop everything to assist you with whatever, and _however_ we can," she responded dutifully, her cheeks growing a bit rosy as she then watched as both her mentor, _and_ best friend began to smile within blatant amusement.

"I . . . think what Cornelia _meant_ to say was that, simply, we're here to help, Oracle," Elyon remarked with a teasing air, referring to her guardian and Headmaster by the admittedly apt nickname she had long since affectionately adopted for the man as a result of the pair having naturally grown closer, and of her learning more about his _own_ mutant capabilities.

Professor Kandrakar's gray colored eyes began to twinkle within furthered merriment as he gazed upon the pair of blondes, _both_ of whom he had truly felt familial ties to, before continuing.

"Well, then, on that note . . . I am sure that you both are aware that we've two new students among us, yes? Cornelia, Professor Starlighter had informed me last night, upon my return from my business trip, that both you and Miss Lair had had a rather . . . interesting first meeting with one of them, am I right?" he carefully asked, his eyes studying the serious blonde's demeanor, while Elyon tilted her head toward her best friend and roommate within understandable confusion, her intricately braided side ponytail falling a bit lazily off of her left shoulder as a result.

"Huh? You never told me that you met the new student yesterday, Cornelia. I thought the reason you'd come back to our dorm room a bit later than usual was because you were just busy studying hard with Professor Starlighter, like always, and especially ever since you'd gained the ability to heal," she stated innocently, before her smooth, dark brows began to furrow as she, too, had a better look at Cornelia's now curiously guilt ridden expression. ". . . . Wait. Is there _more_ to this story that I'm obviously unaware of? Because you _also_ told me that the reason you were looking so _drained_ when I'd asked was _only_ because of your having practiced for so long. . . ."

Letting out a light, shameful groan, Cornelia nodded toward both Elyon and Professor Kandrakar within initial response, temporarily looking more like her best friend as she began to clumsily rub at the back of her neck at the same time that she rose to her feet.

"I-I, well . . . that wasn't _exactly_ a lie, Elyon. I _was_ with Professor Starlighter all afternoon like I said I'd be, and that I'd be having another private lesson with her in order to continue learning to better control my Geokinetic Regeneration," she began with foreign timidity as she partially turned toward the empty fireplace, "but . . . on our way out of her garden, we'd heard a scream coming from one of the dormitories, so naturally we went to investigate. . . . It was the new student, _Will_ , I think is her name, falling unconscious after _Irma_ had . . . _accidentally_ 'Shorted Out' the girl's Electrokinetic abilities, a-and . . . well, honestly, one thing had led to another, and the _next_ I know, I was healing her internal wounds, and -"

"- W-Whoa, _wait_ a second! _Internal_ wounds? Cornelia! You've only been so far able to manage _external_ wounds, and usually ' _wound_ ,' singular! What made you think you were ready to take on something so big, so _soon_ , and for something as _serious_ as a 'Short Out' for an Electrokinetic?" Elyon interrupted with heated concern as she too, jumped to her feet, as Professor Kandrakar merely watched within vaguely amused silence at the stark personality reversal presently carrying on between the pair.

Had it been anyone else, all three present individuals were well aware that Cornelia could, and _would_ have easily snapped right back, biting the person's head off within the process and easily winning the debate.

Because it was _Elyon_ , however, _and_ because she knew that her friend was merely acting upon concerned impulse, Cornelia merely accepted the girl's tongue lashing, biting down onto her lower lip before replying.

". . . . I-I know, Elyon, I know. And I'm _sorry_ that I didn't tell you about it – _All_ of it – last night. But I didn't want you to worry, and have, well, _this_ reaction. Besides, I'm feeling _much_ better now, clearly, now that I've gotten a full night's rest," she quietly apologized before turning back around to face Elyon, who still appeared very much as though she had had quite a fair bit more to say upon the matter.

Professor Kandrakar, however, thankfully rescued the taller blonde from another round of admonishing outbursts, despite having technically been the reason she had found herself within such a predicament in the first place.

"You will be _happy_ to know that both Will, _and_ Irma are doing much better, themselves, as well, girls. I had popped into the Infirmary to check on Miss Vandom after meeting with Irma within the dining hall at breakfast, and although understandably still a bit shaken up, I believe that Will will get past this incident with time," he revealed, removing himself from his place in front of his desk as he slowly approached both still emotionally charged teenagers before him. "In fact . . . this is why I have summoned you two. You see, both you and Miss Vandom have a fair bit amount in common, Elyon, at least as far as your . . . 'mutant origins' are concerned, if you'll forgive my bringing it up. Suffice it to say, however, that I believe that _you_ will be able to come at her with a far more relatable approach than what a few of your other professors, and even myself have already tried. . . ."

Cornelia felt her heart break, and the immediate impulse to wrap her arms protectively around Elyon, whose previously heated facial expression melted into one of instant melancholy upon hearing this, perhaps even within a mixture of empathy toward the red haired newcomer.

Although the two had shared everything with one another, their ups and their downs throughout the years, lingering upon the subject of her parents was yet another one Cornelia regrettably noticed that Elyon would choose not to do if she were able.

Majority of her previous wounds over her profound loss _had_ more or less healed over time, true, even to the point where the young girl was now capable of relaying fond memories she'd shared with them without immediately bursting into heartbreaking tears . . . but the emotional scars were still very much present, however faded over time they had become.

". . . . So, are you saying that she's an . . . an orphan like me, or -"

"- I am simply saying, my dear Elyon, that if ever I were to entrust onto someone the task of helping to guide an unsure, and rather _fearful_ young mutant toward her truest potential, toward _hope_ within the face of adversity, then it would be _you_ ," Professor Kandrakar smiled with esteemed pride as he gently squeezed a now furiously blushing Elyon's shoulders, before turning toward a secret, although equally proud Cornelia. "And I can think of no one better than one of my top pupils to help cultivate, if you'll excuse the pun, and mold our other new student, the admittedly confidence-scarce Miss Cook, Cornelia. . . ."

Cornelia squinted her eyes at this a moment, doing her absolute hardest not to allow her natural ego to get the better of her, as she struggled to remember the first name of the other, newest mutant within question.

". . . . Do you mean Taranda, Professor? I think I have a few classes with her over at Bayville. She's pretty _smart_ , too, if I'm thinking of the right girl, although you'd never know it if none of our teachers ever called on her, the way she sort of seems to just blend into the scenery, unopposed," she remarked with a light frown within continued reflection, before promptly catching her admittedly unmannerly words and apologized. "I-I'm sorry, Professor . . . and Elyon. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with being _shy_ , but. . . . _A-Anyway,_ forgive me, but I actually thought that maybe you, or one of the other professors had already asked _Irma_ to show her around, in all honesty, since I do remember seeing them walking around Bayville's halls together – _And_ here, as well. . . ."

". . . . _Taranee_ , and yes, Cornelia, I suppose Miss Lair _has_ taken the noticeable shine to her," Professor Kandrakar corrected with a light smile, releasing Elyon from his tender grasp as he then focused his entire attention onto a now taken aback Cornelia. "While I do admire her habitual initiative to welcome any and all of our school's newer populace, I must say that Irma's . . . _overly_ abundant enthusiasm is perhaps not precisely what our young Miss Cook would readily respond to, I don't believe. At least, not for now. . . . No. No, I do believe someone of _your_ more calm, collective nature would do wonders for helping her adjust more soundly to her fellow enrollment at our school. And, given your . . . colorful observation concerning her lack of self-assurance, I'd say that having _you_ show her around is quite the perfect match, wouldn't you say?"

Although learning that Cornelia would now be actively trouncing her brunette rival without even having to try this time around, _and_ at their Headmaster's behest, no less, greatly pleased her to no end, the prospect of also having to become what was readily amounting to _babysitting_ an apparent mouse of a girl did _not_. . . .

However, _because_ it was a personal request from the man she'd most respected, and knowing that his general wisdom had never before steered any of his students wrong before, Cornelia resisted the urge to give any _physical_ sign of her current disdain over the matter as she slowly nodded . . . although she was well aware that her _thoughts_ could have easily betrayed her within that moment, given her professor's Psionically based abilities, after all.

". . . . All right, Professor. If you really think it's a good idea, then I'll help . . . _Taranee_ out," Cornelia conceded obediently and her body automatically standing at attention, a physical reaction which practically every other student at the school _but_ herself would notice would happen whenever receiving a direct order, or request from any of their professors.

Elyon couldn't help but giggle at the familiar sight, her previously lighthearted mood thankfully returning as she gave a playful salute toward her legal guardian and nodded.

"Sir, _yessir!_ If Cornelia's in, then so am I, Oracle," she teased with a growing smile before turning her attention onto a now profoundly befuddled Cornelia, and gave her a playful wink.

Unbeknownst to Elyon, such a simple gesture, one shared between them many a time over the years, now possessed the ability to cause Cornelia to _hopelessly_ melt inside, as she continually struggled and rebelled against her rapidly growing, romantic feelings toward the presumably unmindful girl.

Cornelia was unable to respond after this for a few moments, which thankfully did not appear to matter, nor was noticed by either remaining party, as Professor Kandrakar instead merely expressed his immense gratitude toward both girls before freely dismissing them back to whatever afternoon activity the either of them had previously been attending to.

It wasn't until they'd completely exited their Headmaster's study that Cornelia was finally able to find her voice again, and it was filled with _distinct_ disfavor. . . .

". . . . You know, when we both were _finally_ granted more responsibilities around here earlier this year, I thought it'd be more along the lines of 'Junior Professor' related. You know: accompanying Professor Lin or one of the others upon their frequent 'scouting missions' to recruit a newly activated mutant into our school, once Professor Kandrakar would locate them . . . or at _least_ finally lead a training session within the Danger Room here or there. Nope. Instead, _so_ far we've just been tutors of the general, scholastic variety . . . and _now_ , I've just been promoted to glorified 'Mutant-Sitter'," she huffed dramatically as she slowly led the way down the partially empty corridor, and back into the foyer.

Elyon gently patted at the taller blonde's back as she softly chuckled once more, unknowingly sending several sparks to shoot up and down the girl's spine at the unexpected physical contact within the process.

"Well, to be _fair_ , Cornelia, you _have_ been hinting – And not at all subtly, I might add – to finally be entrusted with more obligations over the years, and now you have, even _before_ some of the perhaps more suited _upperclassmen_ – Both of us have, thank you, when _I_ certainly haven't ever once opened my mouth about it. . . . Do you think this is Oracle's way of trying to prepare me to take over as _Headmistress_ of this school one day, or something? Because I-I -"

"- _Whoa_ , whoa. It's okay, Ellie . . . It's okay," it was Cornelia's turn to reassure her now frazzled roommate, her newfound affection toward her falling away, as it always would, whenever serious matters were involved.

And Cornelia could think of nothing _more_ serious, nor _important_ , than the continued happiness and sureness of her closest companion. . . .

"What is Professor Kandrakar, well, _all_ of our professors, actually, always telling us to do? To _never_ sell ourselves short, right, and to keep believing within ourselves, no matter the odds," she stated softly, blindly reaching down without thinking to gently clasp Elyon's now clammy hand within her own, as Cornelia's blue eyes never left her periwinkle. "So if ever the day would come that you just _might_ become Headmistress, it will be a day to _remember_ , for sure. . . ."

". . . . Because I'd so _terrible_ , right?" Elyon couldn't help but weakly jest with a faint smile, before Cornelia promptly shook her head within furthered dispute.

" _No_ , Elyon. Because you'd be absolutely _remarkable_. . . ." she complimented warmly, her voice strong at first before trailing off into only just above a whisper, as her mind at last caught up with her body, and she'd immediately realized that both girls were still holding hands.

She might have been able to _so_ far bury down her true emotions for the other girl whenever the situation called for it, but it did not mean that Cornelia was _completely_ immune to any and all physical contact they might have shared . . . and given that she generally now made it a point lately to at least _not_ be the one to no longer initialize it, Cornelia personally felt she was rather successful thus far not to attract any unwanted attention concerning the matter.

"O-Oh! _Booo_ . . . get a _room_ , you two! Oh, wait, you already did, never mind. Okay, well then go _back_ to it if you wanna carry on with all that touchy-feely crap you _insufferably_ close blondes love flaunting everywhere!" both Cornelia and Elyon suddenly heard the gratingly familiar voice of _Irma_ call from across the other end of the foyer as she'd then entered, alone, and made her way up the grand staircase as she passed.

Still unfortunately completely flustered by the already, albeit _secretly_ embarrassing moment, Cornelia then blurted out the only ready response she could presently think of upon swiftly releasing a now grinning Elyon's hands, ". . . . W-Why don't you . . . go suck an _egg_ , Irma!"

She knew it was a terribly _childish_ , and just plain _terrible_ comeback, in general, and given that all three teenagers had been living together for several years now, during which time Cornelia had delivered quite the nasty barb or two toward the brunette, she was well aware that both Elyon and Irma were _also_ aware of its supremely lackluster impact.

And it certainly _reflected_ as such, as Cornelia regrettably watched as Irma suddenly struggled to continue up the remaining stairs, instantly bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter as she pressed on.

"'G-Go . . . Go s-s-suck an _e-egg?'_ Is that the _best_ you've got for me, today, C-Cornikins? W-Well, then excuse me while I g-go . . . lick my _wounds_ in private! 'G-Go suck anegg!' H-Holy _shit_ , man!" she remarked sarcastically in between breathless chortling, hugging at her waist with one hand as she gave a blind wave of goodbye with her other before retreating.

As the Hydrokinetic brunette's obnoxious laughter _thankfully_ began to die down the further into the upstairs corridor she ventured, Elyon lightly shook her head as her previous smile widened.

"I _swear!_ I will _never_ understand why you two continue to bump heads so much, when it's so _obvious_ you really do care for one another!" she declared with a playful roll of her eyes, causing Cornelia's own to widen within immediate disagreement before continuing. ". . . . _Plus_ , the way you two carry on sometimes, it's honestly almost like you guys were _married!_ Now, let's go get you something to eat before you become any _more_ cranky!"

Cornelia could only stand, glued firmly within her spot a moment upon hearing her best friend's final, honestly innocent statement, as she watched her lead the way toward the Communal Dining Hall.

Of all the mutual students to ever be accused of having feelings for, albeit within harmless jesting, Elyon could truly think of no one _else_ but possibly the biggest pain, barring her kid sister, Cornelia had _ever_ had the displeasure of sharing living quarters with?

Although she _was_ . . . admittedly easy on the eyes, if Cornelia wanted to be privately honest with herself, there _still_ wouldn't be enough _alcohol_ within the world which could ever get her intoxicated enough to . . . to _kiss_ Irma, let alone one day be _married_ to her!

_Besides . . . talk about irony_ , Cornelia couldn't help but muse a moment longer with a small, defeated exhale, as she immediately forced the previously disturbing thought of ever dating the incessantly loudmouthed Irma straight down into the pit of her stomach, which was presently grumbling quite loudly within renewed, undeniable hunger . . . but also becoming increasingly knotted up with crippling emotions the longer she stood, staring with helpless yearning toward the girl who knew her so well, and yet so very little. . . .

**\- End of Chapter Two**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I rather enjoy 'torturing' the WITCH gals when it comes to their so called, romantic love lives, that's why, before anyone asks "Whhhhhy you do dis to Cornelia?" LoL Well, any new readers, at least, since my regulars over on FF.Net are used to my admitted habit of doing this for past stories. :p
> 
> Because I rather enjoy 'torturing' the WITCH gals when it comes to their so called, romantic love lives, that's why, because anyone asks "Whhhhhy you do dis to Cornelia?" LoL
> 
> Okay! Quickly, quickly, before I forget my end-A.N. thoughts like last time! I'd decided to make The Oracle's last name be 'Kandrakar' for no other reason than to be 'cleverly obvious' that omg, that's where he resides within the original canon, yay! LoL Also decided to have Elyon refer to him as "Oracle" as another obvious callback, and also to be a little reminiscent of Professor Xavier's at times being referred to as "Professor X," just as I'd stated that Irma calls all the professors in their school "The Professor" in chapter one also as another reference (although I did later edit that to have only Himerish to be called "The Professor").
> 
> Also made him much, much more likable, in my opinion, this version of him – Himerish, I mean, not Xavier, although I suppose I did end up doing a slight mesh of his personality sprinkled in here and there.
> 
> Definitely was unavoidably thinking of Paige from "Charmed" when I was writing Elyon's backstory of how her mutant powers had first awakened, seeing as Paige had lost her adoptive parents due to a car accident which she'd 'mysteriously' survived, only later finding out it was because of her innate ability to Orb and thus do so out of the vehicle before the crash.
> 
> Wasn't honestly my intention to draw any similarities, trust, but damn if I don't loves me some good ol' "Charmed..." and Paige, actually. =p
> 
> Also yes, I will say that 'clearly' Elyon's definitely the Jean Grey of this story, even though she's naturally powerful within her own right, canonically speaking, while Cornelia, I suppose, you could sort of think of as the Scott Summers...as much as he's always irritated me. LoL
> 
> What else, what else...Oh, yeah. I guess that's also why or how you'd choose to look at the present reasoning behind Cornelia's romantic intentions toward her best friend, given Jean and Scott's similar beginnings...although don't expect any Emma Frost type of characters to pop up out of nowhere to disrupt the girls' possible getting together. Jus' sayin'! =p
> 
> I also, quick note, currently wouldn't really define Cornelia as bisexual, either, or at least SHE wouldn't readily do so quite yet. Maybe not even omnisexual, either, although that perhaps would be a better 'fit' for her, so to speak, and what she'd probably think if she chooses TO think it all over later on down the road. For now, though, she's simply finding that she's falling in love, and this time it just so happened to be with her female best friend, is all. =)
> 
> Ooh! And nearly forgot to mention CORNELIA'S mention of "Bayville!" I couldn't be bothered to think of another name for the "regular high school" they all go to, in addition to attending their mutant related classes at Himerish's school, so I just used the name for the X-Kids' school in "X-Men: Evolution," since the WITCH chicks are also within Upstate New York, as well, anyhow. =)
> 
> I THINK that's it! Yay! Might have remembered everything this time. LoL
> 
> 'Kay, hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to touch upon how Cornelia's parents (and Cornelia herself, at first) are sort of like a far less dangerously compelling Magneto, where his ideals upon mutant separatism are concerned within the last chapter, but decided to space it out, instead. 
> 
> Obviously, he won't be featured within this tale, but don't be surprised to bump into more mutants within this fic who'll share within his/Cornelia's folks' staunch platform. =)
> 
> 'Till then, enjoy, my new Lovelies!
> 
> -  
> This chapter was written/created in December 2016, and revised December 2017.  
> -

If Will's mutant power had enabled her to travel back in time, rather than the 'useful' ability of _electrocuting_ herself any time she now went near any body of water, then she certainly would have put out all the stops to prevent herself from ever agreeing (albeit reluctantly in the first place) to accept enrollment at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , let alone ever step foot onto campus.

Because from where she was sitting, quite literally, she currently wasn't seeing one positive thing about being there, not even with any of the 'feel good' drivel Irma, Professor Lin, and _especially_ not her new Headmaster, Professor Kandrakar, had each spewed at her since her arrival.

After all, what good had it done her thus far? She was now hundreds of miles from home, her _family_ , and with _no_ prospect of ever really keeping, let alone making any _true_ friends, because anyone who would ever try to get close to her just might end up accidentally roasted to a _crisp_. . . .

At the very least there had been Will's _gigantic_ , and thankfully still _'singles'_ dormitory to help hide her away during such times she was unable to handle the masses, but she couldn't even have that _one_ , so called 'opulence,' as she'd been stuck being closely monitored within the school's infirmary for the past full day and a quarter!

It was certainly a good thing for Professor Starlighter that Will's Electrokinesis was informed to be still quite tapped out, or else the emotionally jarred redhead would have undoubtedly made the older woman her latest victim, the way she'd kept poking and prodding at Will's body while checking in on her every hour, _precisely_ on the dot.

" _In truth, you're looking much better, already, my young pupil, despite the otherwise seriousness of having been Shorted Out. Your fellow schoolmate, Cornelia, truly had healed you quite well! However, to further exercise precaution, I believe remaining within the Infirmary for the remainder of the weekend would be the best course of action, simply to be on the safe side in case of any sudden relapse,"_ the serious-minded woman had diagnosed that Sunday morning upon noticing Will's abrupt, and understandably startled rousing from slumber, as the teenager had had a sudden pair of warm hands gently roaming across her previously unconscious form within medical surveillance. _"I suspect, as well, that you should have no issue with making attendance to your first day of classes at Bayville come tomorrow, either!"_

". . . . O-Oh, sure . . . no issue at all . . . Professor," Will had muttered groggily with a slightly acrimonious tone, her mind still within a rather sleep filled fog before the realization had set in.

Within all the worry filled, and immensely stressful chaos Will had honestly somehow managed to forget that her active enrollment at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ now not only meant that she would be attending . . . 'How to Be a Mutant' classes, or whatever each future lesson would be referenced as, but _also_ what she'd surmised to be a comparatively _normal_ high school, as well. . . .

A normal high school . . . with normal teenagers.

Where absolutely anything could happen at any given time, upon any given _day_ regarding not only her own mutant abilities, but the rest of the populace residing within Professor Kandrakar's dual mansion and school. . . .

" _I don't . . . understand. If I'm supposed to . . . attend classes at your school and also live there, then why do I need to go to a whole other one at the same time, as well?"_ Will had anxiously asked both Professors Lin and Kandrakar two weeks earlier, upon learning the apparent conditions of her present enrollment.

" _. . . . Several reasons, quite honestly, Will. The first being that this particular school district allows what is referred to as 'Part-Time Enrollment,' where any qualifying student of both the private and home school variety are guaranteed enrollment privileges at a public school of their choosing,"_ Professor Lin had begun to explain to her admittedly quite bewildered, future student, _"with a minimum of four classes per semester, of course, with at least two being the usual core curriculum. You know, science, mathematics, English, etcetera. Now, although attending classes at Bayville, you will still have your classes and varying studies with us back at the institute, so I am sorry in advance for the extra workload you might be facing within the very near future! At any rate, these are what we like to call the 'surface reasons' behind seemingly giving our students a 'bad hand' in terms of double duty at two sets of schools; however, by allowing such an opportunity to occur, it is Professor Kandrakar's – In fact, unanimously all our hope that by remaining actively integrated within society alongside non-mutants, it will be a way to help keep all of you grounded, and eventually one day forge a path to a peaceful and very much open coexistence. . . ."_

Although not honestly dreadful within her overall scholastic career, especially not where anything to do with scientific endeavors were generally concerned, Will had _usually_ done close to the bare minimum of what was required of her to pass each grade of all of her previous schools up until that point, and it was a 'system' which had done both her Grade Point Average, and overall _stress_ management just fine.

_Now_ , however, not only was she meant to juggle whatever sort of mutant focused lessons her new professors would be teaching her down the road, but also _mountains_ of future homework from _two_ separate schools?

The more and more Will thought about being at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , being within Upstate New York in the first place, the more _enmity_ she felt and thus, mounting despair that there would _never_ be a silver lining within her newfound life. . . .

As much as she wasn't ready to rejoin the student assemblage roaming about the institute's halls above her, Will was even _less_ willing to spend another day cooked up within the heavily stocked and expensive looking healthcare facility, even _if_ she had been 'lucky' enough to have it all to herself thus far.

Considering the school's overall size - At least, from what she had been able to catch a glimpse of before her unexpected mishap, Will hadn't the foggiest why Professor Kandrakar and his staff would have placed such an important installation within what she had been informed to be the _basement_ level.

_At least, if I were in charge of this school, or any one, for that matter, I'd certainly make it a lot easier for people to find by putting it, oh, I don't know, on the main floor. Might make a big difference between a saved, or . . . lost life_ , the redhead thought within saturnine judgment, her previous, and for once relatively _neutral_ mood beginning to take a sharp nosedive as her mind fought hard to resist reflecting once more upon the day her Electrokinetic powers first awakened. . . .

Because it was nearing the mid afternoon, Will had briefly deduced that the majority of her new housemates would probably be once again more so out and about outside, or perhaps out altogether to maybe catch a movie, or any other typical, teenage leisurely pursuits before having to return early for classes the following day.

And so, as a result, she'd felt a bit confident that she might not bump into too many people if she'd . . . _somehow_ made her way back upstairs, and . . . perhaps maybe even do a bit of sightseeing before sequestering herself to her dormitory for the remainder of the day.

All of this, provided Professor Starlighter didn't find her first and drag her back down to the Infirmary, of course.

_I suppose if I have to be stuck living here, I may as well give myself the grand tour sooner now, rather than later, after all,_ Will mused with a light sigh upon finishing getting dressed into the change of clothes _Hay Lin_ , of all people, had been kind enough to bring all the way down for her. . . .

" _I didn't want to just go through all of your personal belongings like that, but I figured that maybe by now you were probably a bit tired wearing a hospital gown! Plus, I was actually . . . trying to think of a way to come down here to see how you were without, you know . . . being too pushy,"_ the cheerful girl had explained with crimson flooded cheeks earlier that morning when she'd suddenly appeared within the doorway, sheepishly holding a folded pair of one of Will's jeans, and a fuchsia colored tee shirt.

Although _Will_ , herself, had been feeling rather abashed at the time to have seen her there at _all_ , making Hay Lin her first and, in fact, only student visitor since she'd been admitted into the Infirmary, Will had noticed that the Aerokinetic mutant had certainly appeared _far_ more so, by comparison.

" _I-I just . . . I just wanted to apologize to you, Will, for . . . startling you with my powers . . . a-and my flying,"_ Hay Lin had continued on before Will could have stopped her, _or_ before she could have offered up her own apology, as well. _"I was going to do so yesterday, as well, and was on my way up to your dormitory when I'd heard . . . well . . . you know. B-But I really do hope you're feeling much better now, and will accept my apology. . . ."_

Having listened to Hay Lin carry on with such humbleness had only served to make Will feel even _more_ guilty for having run away from the otherwise jovial girl in the first place, and it was all she could have done to not want to bury herself completely underneath her hospital bed sheets within a futile attempt to hide away her shame.

Instead, however, she'd actually managed to not only resist, but return the apologetic gesture with one of her own which, if she had been perfectly honest with herself, was something Will had been itching to do as soon as the pair had abruptly separated the previous day.

" _I-I, um . . . it's all right, Hay Lin, a-and . . . thank you for the clothes. . . . I, uh . . . well, to be . . . pretty frank, seeing you, seeing anyone suddenly take off into the air like that would probably freak out lots of people,"_ she began within a mixture of vague self preservation, and lingering abashment, _"but . . . I'm also sorry for having done so. . . . I-I mean, all you wanted to do in the end was just help me out, right? S-So . . . yeahhh. . . ."_

It wasn't the greatest apology, Will had been aware, having basically put blame on the other girl and essentially saying, _"I'm sorry that you didn't use your common sense before doing what you did,"_ but at least she had finally gotten it out, and the two could move on from the overall, awkward incident.

Hay Lin hadn't appeared negatively affected one bit, however, and in fact broke out into a wide, toothy grin upon having received the new girl's forgiveness. She'd then clapped her small hands together within ongoing glee, causing her to appear much more like the joyful girl Will had first met yesterday . . . an observation which had admittedly made the redhead feel a bit pleased to have witnessed.

" _Really? Oh, that's great, Will, thanks! And yeah, duh, sometimes I do forget that not everyone really has ever seen a 'flying person' before, sooo you're absolutely right! From now on, whenever any other new students show up, I think I'll just stick to helping them out the 'old fashioned' way, before eventually letting loose with my powers like that, again,"_ Hay Lin had remarked within good humor, offering once more to help Will out with anything she might have needed assistance with since she was already there, before the two finally parted ways.

Although the natural instinct had been to decline, Will had honestly surprised herself when she'd earnestly promised the bubbly girl that she would instead see her some time later once she'd been properly (or 'improperly,' as was now the present case) discharged . . . which was a future event she was actually mildly looking forward to, given Hay Lin's ongoing, infectiously friendly nature . . . assuming it was _genuine_ , of course. . . .

Will hurriedly finished gingerly straightening her fresh top with one hand, while blindly tossing her former, now bunched up hospital gown with the other, before making a straight beeline for the sealed, metallic door to her room and quickly pulled it open.

The lights outside of the Infirmary were certainly much brighter by comparison, and after having spent the past day and change either unconscious, or resting quietly within a dimly lit room, Will needed a few moments to allow her eyes to properly adjust to the abrupt change within intensity.

Forced to temporarily squint, Will began to mindfully take in her immediate surroundings, which were certainly a curious stark contrast to all the 'glitz and glamour' she had witnessed upstairs when she'd first arrived onto campus.

Perhaps it was simply because the school's medical facility was down within the basement that the overall scheme was the same calm, cool shade of blue, as were the walls from inside of her previous room; however, it certainly could not _possibly_ also account for the curious choice of lining the _entire_ hallway within solid metal, as well!

" _W-What_ the . . . .? I-I feel like I somehow got transported to some . . . top secret _military_ base, o-or some kind of futuristic deck of a _spaceship_ or something," Will whispered to herself within supreme stupefaction, turning her head to look down both presently secluded, long pathways on either side of her, before hesitantly choosing to take the one on the right. "What kind of school _is_ this? Even one for mutants, this _has_ to be out of the ordinary. . . ."

Feeling more and more tense as she continued on her way down the spacious, empty hallway, Will let out a deep sigh of relief the moment she heard a round of female voices suddenly sounding off within the near distance, and was even _more_ pleased to see that both belonged to two individuals she'd remembered indirectly encountering yesterday upon her arrival: Jubilee, and Megan.

"Another great workout, butt! Although, I wish you wouldn't keep trying to upstage me so much with your 'fancy' gymnastics every time we spar," Will could overhear the pink haired, fairy resembling mutant cheerfully state in between curious moans, as both girls rounded the corner dressed within black colored workout attire, and hair each pulled back into messy ponytails.

"Well, you're the one who'd been insisting on relying less upon your magical abilities and to better train yourself _physically_ , lately, anyhow, so how I kick your ass every time – O-Okay, _most_ times, since you _are_ getting a lot better – is _my_ choice," Jubilee playfully fired back as she gingerly wiped her face clear of sweat with the small, white towel draped across the back of her neck, before being the first to notice Will 'randomly' standing there within the middle of the hallway. "Now, let's hurry up and grab something to eat before I collapse, and –! O-Oh, _geez!_ You scared the _crap_ out of me! Y-You all right?"

Apparently not expecting to have either been noticed, or addressed so soon, Will, too, jumped within her spot and stammered for a few moments within initial response, before Megan politely interrupted with a small, but growing grin.

"H-Hey, I remember you, I think! Yeah, I think I saw you in passing yesterday within the foyer with all your bags and such, right? Here's to welcoming you to 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters' – _Again_ , I'm sure! Name's Megan Gwynn! And this is one of my best mates, Jubilation Lee, or 'Jubilee' for short, as she likes, yeah?" she introduced with another friendly smile as both she and the raven haired girl in question approached,with Will doing her best to swallow down any lingering reservations she still admittedly possessed regarding the Welsh girl's unique, physical appearance.

"H-Hi . . . um, M-Megan, and . . . Jubilee. I'm Will . . . Will Vandom," the redhead began weakly, hesitating a moment before slowly extending her right hand out and allowed it to be briefly encased within each palm of both girls in greeting.

Jubilee curiously wrinkled her nose at this a moment, before gently chuckling as she then pulled back her hand and blindly wiped it along the bottom of her tank top.

" _Eww_ , sorry about that, Will. Didn't realize I was _that_ much drenched in sweat – _Super_ clammy hands, now! A-Anyway, so what are you doing down here? Were you in the gym, too, working out, or maybe inside the 'Danger Room?' Although, come to think of it, I don't think I saw you in the gym with us at any time, and training sessions aren't usually scheduled so soon already for the newer students, so – _W-What_ , Meg?"

"Well, _geez_ , Jubilee, why don't you talk her head off, then? Besides! Maybe we ought to be lettin' the _profs_ fill Will in more properly – If not already, that is – about the various 'treats and goodies' to be found around the institute, all right?" Megan playfully reproved her obviously close friend with a slight chuckle and shake of her sweat-dampened head, causing a momentarily befuddled Jubilee to merely roll her brown eyes with a smirk.

Will, meanwhile, who was painfully very much out of the loop, perhaps even more so than either girl before her might have realized, did all she could not to dwell upon the _immensely_ ominous sounding name of the room Professor Lin, nor any other teacher had yet to inform her about – _Especially_ the apparent fact that she would one day be, of all things, ' _training_ ' inside of it.

_I know that I was told that by coming here I'd be learning how to control my stupid powers, but I didn't think it'd ever entail doing so with the word 'danger' ever attached to it! Like I don't already have enough on my plate to deal with as it is!_ she thought bitterly, a deep frown slowly marring her previous, and relatively placid (such as it was) facial expression for a few moments, although still regrettably long enough for both fellow pupils to have taken notice.

"O-Oh, hey . . . You okay, Will? We didn't, like, strike a nerve or whatever, did we? I mean, obviously, we don't know anything about you or your ' _story_ ,' but one thing all of us here pretty much have in common – Besides being mutants, of course – is feeling _incredibly_ overcome coming to live in such an _epic_ place as this! I mean, I don't care how awesome you think you are at controlling your powers already, or not, y'know? So, for sure, don't feel too bad if ever you feel the need to . . . I dunno, _wig_ out, and maybe punch a wall or two – M-Maybe some _pillows_ , instead, though, so you don't get any demerits, and -"

"- Don't mind Jubes, Will; I think it's mainly a bit of her naturally competitive, and a tad _too_ 'overly confident at times' attitude rearing its nasty head about, now," Megan interrupted with a broad grin and relaxed stance, clearly making a point to quash any brewing thoughts the redhead might have been presently harboring both toward the school, as well as her present situation. "But she still has a good point! Best advice – Which you've probably already heard from someone else, seein' as 'inclusion and acceptance' is sort of a _really_ big thing here – is to honestly just take everything one day at a time, and try not to stress too much about everything, mad as that sounds . . . _especially_ not about the D.R., either, right now, since no one will even _think_ to take you there until absolutely certain you're ready, all right?"

Given the amount of students the uniquely looking mutant-pixie had personally witnessed come and go through the school's doors during her three and a half year attendance, Megan was more than well aware of how to play 'the game' of saying precisely the right things, as well as when to say them in order to try to help make any newcomer feel more at home.

To be fair, so too did Jubilee, although the spunky, tenacious girl _did_ tend to put her foot in it from time to time, and get a bit too ahead of herself, such as right within that very moment. . . .

". . . . Well, I _will_ give this place one thing: It's certainly becoming a bit more difficult to outright, actively _resent_ it the more and more I keep hearing all these 'hope speeches' from everyone. I-I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm still . . . still _plenty_ resentful for being here and all, but . . . yeah," Will only just managed to comment within slight jest, also somehow releasing the previous negativity swelling inside of her, as the pair before her thankfully caught on and began to giggle within obvious understanding.

"See that? You'd think Professor Kandrakar and the other profs would have definitely spiced up their 'welcoming routine' by now, given the _truckload_ of students they've undoubtedly amassed throughout the years, right? But, hey! I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Jubilee giggled softly within agreement, briefly waving her hand through the air within a beckoning motion as she then led the way to the pair of sealed elevators a few feet ahead of them. "But, anyway! Seeing as talking about what we all are and what we can or can't do, power wise, _clearly_ isn't really your cup of tea, Will, let's just stick with current affairs: What are you gonna wear to Karmilla's concert next Friday? Are you going? If you are, we should _totally_ head to the mall some time next week and pick up a few new outfits!"

Megan rolled her bright, pink colored eyes at this, although she too could not help but to let out a light chortle as both she and Will followed the onyx haired girl into one of the empty elevators.

"Oh, for –! Not _everyone's_ a mall rat like you, you know, Jubes. Plus, you should probably know that -" she teased, carefully reaching around Will to lightly shove at Jubilee's bare shoulder, carrying on the conversation as the elevator doors slid closed.

Perhaps . . . if things continued to carry on within such a manner, with anything to do with 'mutant superpowers' remaining low key (alongside the added 'bonus' of being temporarily unable to even _use_ her own powers, as well), then maybe, _just_ maybe Will could find that she'd somehow survive, after all.

_Today_ , at least, anyway. . . .

* * *

 

The way the great outdoors, nature in general, would somehow always manage to put her at such ease, Elyon would honestly sometimes believe that perhaps her mutant ability was more likened to those similar to Cornelia's, or any of the other elemental-based powers several of her fellow students possessed, themselves.

But, in truth, it had always been that way, as far back as she could recall, particularly whenever the itch to begin sketching a random drawing or two would overcome her . . . just as it was within that present moment.

Drawing was always something Elyon enjoyed all on her own, however was never really a talent she truly embraced and cultivated until after her parents had passed away, as it was something her mother, Eleanor, in particular, would always bond with her over.

" _'_ _Art is the window to man's soul. Without it, he would never be able to see beyond his immediate world; nor could the world see the man within',"_ she'd always liked to quote to her daughter during the occasions she would catch Elyon within the middle of either lazily, or frantically (depending upon the feel of the moment) sketching out a simple doodle, or what both her parents would always refer to as a 'masterpiece.'

Elyon honestly never felt as close to either parent as she did whenever she was curled up somewhere about the mansion with one of her many art books, nor did she ever feel quite as at _peace_ , both about her ever-growing powers . . . and the tragic circumstances which had first awakened her to them in the first place.

And so there she presently sat, outside on yet another, comfortably warm afternoon two hours or after lunchtime, choosing the school's Olympic sized pool area to be today's place of inspiration.

Originally, it had been the plan to go for a walk about the neighborhood with Cornelia, as the taller blonde had graciously offered they do upon leaving the Communal Dining Hall; however, something inside spoke, quite loudly at that, for Elyon to stay on campus, instead.

And if there was one thing _both_ girls, in fact, had learned while living within _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ throughout the years, it was to never ignore any sort of feelings which might have called out to them, as they were usually spot on - Especially for a Telepath, such as herself.

Plus, there had also been the rather important discussion her legal guardian and instructor, Professor Kandrakar had just shared with both blondes earlier that same day regarding becoming mentors to two of the school's newest students, Taranee Cook and Will Vandom, which also helped motivate Elyon to stay right where she was.

The _last_ thing she wanted to do was screw everything up once she'd finally met the young woman she was meant to take underneath her wing, after all. . . .

Elyon had been at it, quietly sat and sketching out random creations here and there – Nothing too fanciful, or even truly detailed - for the past twenty-plus minutes or so, all while a few random schoolmates would come and go from the pool area and either go for a swim, or take a seat at one of the many patio tables strewn about around her.

Given that she was sort of a familiar face at the school (whether or not she was pleased by this), most probably due to being their headmaster's beneficiary, and all, majority of the students had caught on to a few of Elyon's various, so called 'quirks' and interests here and there, and so honestly knew better than to disturb or engage her during such a time . . . which usually worked out for the better, anyhow, as the dishwater blonde really _did_ tend to completely lose herself within her impressively expressive artwork.

And that present moment was no exception, as Elyon continued to peacefully hum an uplifting, random melody quietly to herself as she otherwise pored everything into the current drawing she had been working on for the past five minutes or so, now.

Both her tune, and the sound of her graphite pencil furiously scratching against the open page of her sketchbook began to intermingle within an oddly calm sort of harmony as she continued, the drawing gradually becoming more and more detailed as the seconds passed.

To the few seated around her, Elyon most probably appeared to be within a _trance_ of sorts, and perhaps she nearly was, simply smiling softly and privately reflecting upon the memory of her dearly departed parents more and more as her work of art continued to take an even more distinctive shape.

It wasn't until she was already nearing the end of putting detailed, finishing touches upon at least the main focus of her piece that Elyon's core focus finally fractured a bit, as her mind suddenly became flooded with thoughts, a _voice_ , which was not her own:

_. . . . I don't even know why I somehow managed to come here of all places, instead of staying inside my dorm room, or even head back down to the Infirmary. I mean, it's not as though I can go swimming ever again . . . or enjoy a good bubble bath once my powers inevitably come back. . . ._

At this, Elyon promptly dropped her pencil as she looked straight ahead toward the glass, double doors which led into and out of the large mansion's south entrance-way and atrium, just in time to witness a lone redhead curiously proceeding to enter the exposed area with what appeared to be _extreme_ caution.

Elyon couldn't help but let a slow, yet growing smile grace her delicate features as she knowingly watched the newcomer gingerly tiptoe further outside, all while taking care to practically hug the glass windows of the building as she did so.

If not for her telepathic abilities, Elyon would have honestly wondered why in the world the crimson haired girl was presently carrying on as she was, almost acting as though _allergic_ to the otherwise inviting, lapping water of the massive pool stretched out before them both.

However, given both the previous, psychic insight unknowingly given to her, alongside the slight 'briefing' Professor Kandrakar had presented to his charge a little earlier, Elyon was otherwise understandably sympathetic to the other girl's current plight.

_Well . . . here goes nothing_ , she thought with a soft, nervous exhale, before gently clearing her throat in order to grab the creeping redhead's attention.

". . . . While I don't honestly know what it's like to have the power over electricity, I do know that it won't always be this scary – T-That is, _others_ like you who also possess Electrokinetic talents all eventually learned to control them, so that otherwise obvious obstacles such as water would no longer be an issue, and, um . . . yeah," Elyon shyly explained with an awkward, lopsided smile as her soft, periwinkle eyes met with an immensely startled honey-brown, and quickly added the tail end as a way to hopefully calm the other girl down.

Elyon watched with regrettable guilt as the red haired young woman immediately jumped within alarm at this, before Elyon quickly stood and tossed her sketchbook and pencil onto the round, poolside table before her.

Her only consolation to having startled the other girl at all was the inside knowledge that her Electrokinesis was presently Shorted Out for at least another day or so, or else Elyon imagined that the redhead's entire body would have probably begun crackling with her currently uncontrollable, raw electricity, and undoubtedly cause the few nearby students who were leisurely wading within the pool to immediately swim further away as a precautionary measure.

"I-It's okay, Will! It's all right! I-I didn't mean to scare you like that, really! I was just -"

"- W-Wait, _what?_ H-How . . . How did you know about my powers? O-Or my _name_ , for that matter? Who are you?" the frazzled girl now openly known as Will fired off toward Elyon about a mile a second, although her ongoing trepidation already appeared to be ebbing away bit by bit as her body began to visibly relax.

_I'm not honestly sure why Oracle wanted me to help guide her; I don't really seem to be doing a very good job, or giving off a good first impression. Still . . . I know I've at least got to give it a shot, if nothing else but to help Will feel more comfortable about her surroundings,_ Elyon mused with a firm nod to herself, the future Headmistress within her already shining through to the surface, unknowingly.

"I . . . I really am sorry for startling you, Will, _really_ – I honestly wasn't trying to . . . nor did I mean to read your mind earlier when you were coming outside a few seconds ago," she apologized with a strong blush, her natural timidness shining through in spite of herself, as she nonetheless pressed on. "M-My name is Elyon. Elyon Brown, and I'm actually a Telepath . . . well, to name _one_ of my abilities, anyway. . . . B-But I knew your name, and what your own powers are mainly from Professor Kandrakar. . . ."

Now protectively pressing her back against the windows behind her, just in case her electricity based powers would suddenly flare up again ahead of their projected recovery, Will closed her eyes a moment as Elyon could clearly see her attempt to center herself, before reopening them to flash the straw colored blonde a surprisingly hardened stare.

". . . . So I guess this is what everyone does when a ' _newbie'_ joins up at this school, huh? Constantly bombard them with so called niceties, all while invading their _privacy_ without any sort of permission to do so? I mean, there have got to be _hundreds_ of us living here right now, right? So why the constant interest in just _me?_ I can't _possibly_ be the only new student currently enrolled at the moment," she snapped defensively, wrapping her arms around herself before her facial expression slowly transitioned into one of obvious guilt.

_God . . . And there I go, pushing people away again before they do it to me, like usual. . . . I mean, just yesterday – And even earlier today, kind of - I was feeling practically ecstatic to have people my own age, and not just the adults, try to more or less comfort me and be friendly, so maybe I wouldn't feel so isolated . . . except that was all before I'd managed to hurt yet another person with my 'special gifts,'_ Elyon unintentionally 'listened in' to Will's emotionally raw mind once again, both girls' faces beginning to reflect profound sadness as a result, before Will's cheeks became immensely inflamed as another, far more embarrassing thought then formed. _O-Oh, crap! I probably shouldn't keep thinking about everything that's happened like this – Not if this girl really can read people's minds. Geez! Is there no place I can have some much needed solitude?_

Debating upon whether or not to let it be known that she had indeed picked up upon Will's thoughts once more, lest she enrage her even further, Elyon indeed followed through, deciding instead to go with the instincts presently urging her to keep the lines of communication between them (such as they were) as open as possible.

_Clearly_ , this girl had been through quite a bit within the past twenty-four hours, alone, and Elyon didn't need to be psychic in order to know this.

By now, she knew how to recognize when someone was within desperate need of letting everything out, be it emotionally or, within the very real case of every student presently within their school, _physically_ , as well.

"I-I'm sorry, again, Will! I wasn't, or rather, I'm _not_ trying to continually pick up on your thoughts like this," she sheepishly apologized, starting off with a bit of continual timidity, before picking up steam, "but I've found that the more unguarded a person is emotionally, or just generally unaware, the easier it is for my powers to intercept whatever might be on their mind. . . . It actually used to be a pretty big _nightmare_ for me when they first started to manifest, because I was just _constantly_ bombarded by pretty much everyone around me, until I finally learned to control them. Now it's really only whenever I might be pretty tired, stressed, _super_ distracted, or if the person, themselves, might be so _over_ the top upset that I can't actively block them out which . . . I'm _guessing_ is the case right now with you, right? I-I mean, why else, then, would you have come to the pool area, of all places, when you're obviously aware that it's not yet safe for you to be around water?"

Not usually this particularly forward, Elyon honestly then began to brace herself for the worst from the apparently temperamental redhead standing before her; she was instead, however, feeling quite surprised when Will only let out a low, defeated exhale as her brown eyes curiously became a tad glassy.

". . . . Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, then, who knows?" she murmured her obviously rhetorical inquiry, whatever tears which might have wished to escape effortlessly vanishing as she rapidly blinked her eyes before suddenly performing an about face and returning back inside.

Elyon could have, and possibly _should_ have left it right there, and allowed the emotionally distraught teenager to continue on within her slow, but steady retreat. However, even _without_ Professor Kandrakar's direct, personal request to do so, her at times inherent desire to help those in need truly was effortlessly overpowering her by that point.

"Will, wait a minute!" she called out to the retreating, fellow mutant, turning away from her a moment in order to quickly retrieve her sketchbook from off of the temporarily forgotten, poolside table, before beginning to sprint toward the double glass doors.

"What for? So I can later add _you_ to my already mounting list of victims once I've fully recovered? I mean, my God, I'll probably be _apologizing_ and feeling _ridiculously_ guilty from now until I graduate for the amount of people I've either _offended_ in some way, or electrocuted into _dust!_ Lord knows I've started to wrack up a pretty decent 'body count,' already, and I've only been enrolled here for a freaking _day!_ " Will vented with complete abandon as she continued to stomp off, with Elyon keeping up as best she could from behind. "How in the hell am I meant to 'stay _calmmm_ ,' or 'think _positivelyyyy_ ' like people keep telling me – And I mean, _do_ they keep telling me – and also believe that 'one day soon' I'll be within complete control of my _lethal_ powers? I-I mean, I was a pretty guarded person before all this crap happened to me, but now I'm _really_ not allowed to ever feel anything beyond twenty-four hour _happiness!_ Not unless I'd like to take out the entire student body!"

Seeing that Will had absolutely no intention of attempting to rein in at least _some_ of that typhoon of emotion, and fearing that her abilities could possibly already trigger themselves again, somehow (especially considering that a moment of tremendous stress was usually what would precede the awakening of a mutant's given powers, at least, according to Professor Kandrakar), Elyon, swallowing hard, was left with a darkening decision to make. . . .

_God, I hope this works . . . unfortunately_ , she thought morosely, before stopping within her tracks in order to properly focus and ground her _own_ emotions . . . before then proceeding to take over _Will's_.

She, too, suddenly found herself stopping in place, just as she had reached the empty and winding marble stairwell she'd been heading toward, and curiously looked ahead at nothing in particular as her previous, honestly chaotic emotions immediately began to die down. . . .

With her eyes steadily trained upon her target, as it were, Elyon slowly resumed her trek toward the now very _calm_ and collected Will, who then turned her crimson colored head to the side in order to meet the other girl's uncharacteristically serious gaze.

". . . . H-How did you. . . .?" Will trailed off into a whisper, beginning to feel more and more at ease as the seconds passed, the most she'd _ever_ felt within the past few weeks, altogether.

"It's . . . an extension, I guess, of my Telepathic abilities, Will, one I've sort of recently developed but . . . don't really like to use, for present, _obvious_ reasons," Elyon softly explained with an honestly thickened air of shame, despite the otherwise, positive emotions she was clearly mentally projecting onto the other girl now standing next to her. "Only Professor Kandrakar actually knows about it – Well, last I was aware, anyway – and has been the only one I've actively tried to . . . _manipulate_ emotionally like this. I-I wasn't even sure it was going to work on _you_ or not, given how _powerful_ The Professor generally is and how _new_ I am at this, but . . . I didn't see any other way of _swiftly_ calming you down right at the moment. . . ."

Expecting the redhead to express understandable disapproval (however 'pleasantly' it might have been presently delivered) over having had her feelings altered within such an invasive manner, Elyon instead caught Will flash her a small, yet noticeable . . . _smile,_ of all things,although Elyon was still rather unsure whether or not it was truly genuine, or every bit as manufactured as the positive emotions presently being imposed upon the other girl.

"S-So, wait . . . You're saying that you can use your powers to . . . to _change_ the way someone is feeling, I guess, to whatever you want, instead?" she asked out of honest curiosity, her tone of voice sounding every bit as benign as the simper still plastered across her face, all while Elyon cautiously continued to maintain her mental propulsion a bit longer.

"And even magnify or suppress them altogether, as well as possibly channeling them into something _physical_ . . . at least, what The Professor has told me they might grow into over time. . . . So, you can see why it's not really a favorite sub-power of mine to possess, basically _hijacking_ a person's feelings while holding any other hostage at will, or . . . _semi_ -will, for now," Elyon responded with a slight nod, taking a deep breath as her previously sober expression finally relaxed as she then broke the psychic connection between Will and herself as gently, yet as quickly as she could. She could then immediately sense the already mounting, personal trepidation over her rarely exercised ability beginning to replace the previously imposed positivity she'd placed onto Will. "I-I'm so sorry about that, Will. _Really_ , I am, and -"

"- _Thank_ you, Elyon," Will interrupted with another smile, this one all her own, albeit a bit lopsided, as she proceeded to awkwardly rub at the back of her neck. "No, seriously! I can see that I've completely _baffled_ you for thanking you for, well, treating me like a _puppet_ more than an actual person, there, of all things to do, but . . . I really _am_ grateful. . . . I mean, barring right now which, again, was all your doing, I obviously haven't been too successful with keeping all of my emotions about this in check. . . . I mean, I've _definitely_ been trying to, and under _normal_ circumstances, have gotten pretty good at concealing what I might be really feeling from others, b-but, yeah, I . . . J-Just . . . _thanks_ , again, Elyon. Just don't _ever_ do that to me again without my consent, and we'll be totally cool."

At this, Elyon let out a startled giggle, her cheeks growing incredibly hot within embarrassment as she fought the urge to honestly _hug_ the newcomer, she was feeling that relieved.

"I-I won't, I _promise!_ Well, I'll certainly try not to, anyway! B-But thank _you_ , Will, for not resenting me for it or anything," she spoke with a light grin, now clutching her momentarily forgotten sketchpad to her chest a bit too tightly, as the desire to embrace the redhead had yet to fully subside. "N-Now . . . at the risk of undoing everything I'd just done by asking this, how _are_ you feeling, anyway? That is, obviously you were given the 'O.K.' to leave the Infirmary, but . . . oh. Sorry. This isn't me prying into your mind or anything, again. My friend and roommate, Cornelia, told me all about what had happened yesterday between you and Irma, and how you were healed by her. C-Cornelia, that is. . . ."

Will's previous, honestly now steadily rare expression of slight mirth regrettably then melted into one of fault as she shook her head and looked away.

". . . . Well, technically, I actually discharged _myself_ , but . . . it's just my luck that everybody knows everybody here, huh?" she remarked curiously, more so to herself than to the momentarily befuddled Elyon, before continuing. "I'll _live_ , I guess . . . but I'm more concerned with how _Irma's_ doing, really. . . . Truth be known, ever since waking up this morning, I've been waffling between just hiding away down in that basement, or inside of my dorm room for everyone's and my own safety, and . . . well, trying to find her to apologize. . . ."

Elyon raised an eyebrow at this, simply allowing the present conversation to unfold organically, rather than simply use her Telepathic abilities on the other girl once more, as she'd already made an open vow to try not to from that point on.

"Apologize? What for, Will? I mean, from how I understand it, you had absolutely no control over what had happened then, any more than you did just a few minutes ago with me. . . ."

Will frowned lightly, shaking her head a moment before tiredly plunking down onto the bottom step of the otherwise unoccupied marble staircase before them.

"I, uh . . . I know, Elyon. I _know_ , but . . . well, _honestly?_ I just need to say sorry to _a lot_ of people, already, like I kinda said. W-Well, not so much 'a lot' as really just the _one_ person, Irma, while also eventually finding . . . Cornelia, you said her name was? Yeah, her, as well, to finally thank her for healing me. . . ."

Perhaps she was somehow growing a bit 'spoiled,' as it were, over possessing the unique ability to read another individual's mind, as it now truly _was_ quite tempting by that specific point for Elyon to delve into Will's at that moment, in order to gain a faster understanding of her jumbled train of thought; however, given how the self-professed, guarded redhead was actively choosing, at least for the time being, to express how she was presently feeling – _And_ to an otherwise, perfect stranger, no less, the petite girl instead took a seat next to Will and waited patiently for her to continue.

Seeming to appreciate the overall gesture, Will clumsily rubbed at her hands before proceeding to explain her 'history,' or everything from her arrival to the school, up until that present moment, at least.

". . . . So then, I guess that's maybe why I ended up here, of all places – At the _pool_ , I mean. Not just for the . . . the life I've now lost as a result of becoming a mutant . . . but because maybe I was, I dunno . . . trying to _punish_ myself for the pain I'd caused," Will finished explaining her tale a few minutes later with a hollow exhale, refusing once more to meet Elyon's now concerned gaze as Will's emotional walls slowly began to rebuild themselves back up the longer she consciously realized she was uncharacteristically revealing far too much about herself within one go.

Innocently observing this, Elyon decided _not_ to inquire about what Will's overall life had been like before arriving at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , as curious as she truly was, and instead asked, as delicately as she could, ". . . . Because you feel it's what you deserve for how you'd treated everyone since coming here?"

"And for . . . _electrocuting_ Irma, I guess, yeah," Will quietly affirmed with a nod, feeling deeply discredited, yet . . . _relieved_ to be openly expressing what she'd been heavily carrying around inside for the last twenty-four-plus hours, despite her simultaneous, _conflicting_ desire _not_ to do so. "I mean, you really have . . . _no_ idea about the crappy school I used to go to before this one. . . . Okay, well, the school itself wasn't so crappy, but the _people_ were. _Really_. . . . Ha . . . I don't even seriously know why I'm actually telling you this, telling _anyone_ this, since sharing _anything_ is definitely on my 'Things I Truly Suck At' list I'd kind of already told you about, but . . . I guess maybe I am only so you can better understand the freaking _guilt_ I've been feeling since being here. . . . Back at my old school, when I was the new girl _there_ , no one really bothered with me, you know? And if they did, it wasn't ever really a pleasant, or _genuine_ experience. . . ."

Elyon merely nodded slowly within unfolding understanding, as she now had a slight inkling that where the crimson haired girl was heading with her confession of sorts was one fairly similar to others randomly listened to over the years from many other students before Will.

". . . . And then I get _here_ , and although I still wish more than _anything_ I could just go home and act like none of this ever happened, o-or, at the very least, transfer to another school _like_ this, minus the whole mutant power aspect . . . I find more and more that I can't even properly _hate_ this place the way I want to, the way I _expected_ myself to, because the people inside it are, or have been too freaking . . . _nice!_ " Elyon couldn't help but smile at this as Will thankfully, and a bit unexpectedly followed suit, before she pressed on. "It's true! I obviously don't know this area, the neighborhood, _or_ what this overall school district is like, but I'm imagining it's gotta be _highly_ rated on the Internet or something as 'the place' to come to, right, what with all of you being so damned . . . _welcoming!_ _Everyone_ has really been so . . . so welcoming a-and . . . _patient_ , and . . . and _accepting_ that I just can't stand it!"

Both girls mutual grin promptly faded away as Will's momentarily erected wall faltered and completely gave way just then, and she _finally_ expressed what had been truly bothering her all along.

". . . . H-How _can_ you all continue to be so nice and friendly with me, even after knowing, _seeing_ what I can do? What I've _already_ done? T-To Irma? To . . . To my _mother_ ," she shakily confessed in between the wet, hot sobs which were already beginning to escape past her previously cracked, and dry lips. "I-I was _normal_ at my other school, but I just ended up being _used_ and manipulated by my so called 'friends' there. . . . Yet I come _here_ , with a _legitimate_ reason to be avoided at all costs, a-and . . . almost instantly I'm suddenly 'Miss Popular. . . .'"

". . . . My power only _j-just_ showed its u-ugly head two weeks ago, did Professor Kandrakar or whomever e-else tell you that? Y-Yeah . . . and when it had, it was _far_ from peaceful," Will began again, a bit enigmatically in between increased weeping, blindly reaching up to roughly wipe at her face before briefly looking toward a now caught off guard Elyon, who'd previously expected the redhead to continue shielding her face from view as she had been doing up to that point. ". . . . D-Did you know that I didn't even cry _then?_ W-When I'd ended up . . . _hurting_ my mom with my powers, I mean? _Screaming_ , denying to myself as much as I could that it even happened, and getting a _bit_ teary eyed, then, sure, but . . . maybe I was just too _shocked_ – Pun _regrettably_ related – by everything that I just ended up bottling up my feelings even more. . . . Maybe right now, _because_ of everything, I've just finally . . . hit the wall, or something," she ended up hypothesizing, more so to herself, as she unknowingly took the first step of many to come during her ongoing journey of better understanding both her mutant abilities, as well as herself.

At this, Elyon felt she could at last take the chance to speak, herself, and offered up a bit of relative input in the process.

". . . . W-Well, one of the things each professor here teaches about our gifts is that . . . firstly, they _are_ actual gifts, and not anything we or . . . _others_ might negatively view them as . . . and also that we wouldn't be given them in the first place if we couldn't handle them. . . . But, at the same time, we are still _people_ at the end of the day, each of us with various breaking points here and there to deal with at times," she revealed quietly, clearing her throat and straightening her previously slouching posture as she felt Will's undivided attention poring itself onto her. "Afterwards, though . . . we somehow always manage to pick ourselves back up and start again . . . and I think the very same can be said about _you_ , Will. . . ."

". . . . Even though I'd used my powers against my own _mother_ , and over something completely _stupid?_ She'd . . . been bugging me, or so I felt, all week to clean up my bedroom so that I could finally get my laundry done, but I was already feeling pretty stressed out from a rough school week that the _last_ thing I wanted to do when I got home that Friday was _chores_. . . . And the next thing I knew, we were going at it, back and forth, and I was about to retreat to my _still_ messy room to calm down when I finally _lost_ it once my mom followed after me, and I . . . I _s-shot_ her in the arm with a lightning bolt. . . ." Will breathlessly revealed, wringing her hands together repeatedly as the traumatic memory clearly began to unfold within her mind. ". . . . A-And can . . . can you believe that even with her writhing in complete _agony_ on my bedroom floor like that . . . she _still_ wanted to know if _I_ was all right? Even during the ambulance ride, then later inside the recovery room – _H-Hell_ , even straight up until I was about to leave her to come here, all she _did_ was ask how I was. . . . _Tch_. Here I am, the one capable of possibly burning down a _house_ if I really wanted to or tried, I'm sure, and my mom kept putting _me_ first. . . ."

_All except for when it came to letting me know in all this time that I was a mutant to begin with . . . although, I guess now looking back . . . I can maybe sort of see it from her perspective_ , Will silently reflected a moment, biting down onto her bottom lip as both her mind and heart furiously clashed over whether or not to continue feeling 'justifiably' upset with her mother for withholding such a blatantly important aspect within her only child's life.

Meanwhile, as a result of this, Will had been too temporarily distracted to witness Elyon violently shudder a bit, her face becoming contorted within pain as though somehow having been physically afflicted, herself.

_. . . . It's all right, Elyon. Will naturally doesn't know what she's saying_ , the dishwater blonde thought within calming, self-reassurance, finally placing her sketchpad aside and slowly wrapping her arms around herself within comfort as she allowed the unsettling memory of losing her parents to be replaced once again with far more _peaceful_ , loving ones, instead.

Apparently finally taking notice, Will, bashfully wiping away the remainder of her tears gazed upon the equally emotional Elyon and asked, "H-Hey . . . Are you all right, Elyon? I-I'm sorry if what I just said upset you. I mean, I know I would be, too, if I just randomly all heard this, and -"

"- N-No, I'm not, Will. I mean, I _am_ , but I am for _you_ , that is. That was definitely a terrible . . . _terrible_ way to come into your gifts," Elyon replied with a weak, saddened smile, feeling far more empathetic to the girl's plight than Will might have realized. "B-But, um . . . obviously your mom's injury wasn't too bad, then, right? I-I mean, that was over two weeks ago that that happened, yet here you are, already, enrolled. . . ."

Will's face scrunched up into one of intermingling concern and contemplation at this, before slowly nodding.

"I . . . I _guess_ so. . . .? I mean, a-at the time, I was just _so_ relieved that she was already being checked out with an otherwise clean bill of health, despite the originating circumstances, _and_ with just a simple arm sling to help keep it immobilized, but . . . now that I'm allowing myself to go back to think about it all some more, and of all the things I've already experienced by being _here_ , I'm starting to think that maybe . . . maybe _something_ was done to help make that all happen. . . .? L-Like maybe by Professor Kandrakar, or Professor Lin . . . o-or maybe even Professor Starlighter? Yeah . . . Maybe one of them used their powers to heal my mom or something, the way that _I_ was by your friend, Cornelia," she openly chewed over, unsure whether or not to feel immense gratitude, or outright trepidation that any one individual could hold such power . . . indeed, much like Elyon, herself, evidently. "But, then . . . if that _was_ the case, how was it that no one from the hospital even batted an eye about the sudden, miraculous recovery? I mean, I-I . . . I did regrettably manage to hurt my mom _pretty_ badly that night, yet . . . yet by the next day, or after, I think, the staff was just carrying on like it was just a _minor_ injury. . . ."

Elyon nodded her head, understanding all too well by now what had most probably occurred.

"I think that that might have been _The Professor's_ doing, actually . . . the 'memory loss' of those who'd tended to your mom during her hospital stay, I mean," she started as delicately as she could, recognizing that although the more Will was finally purging what had desperately needed to be said, the more she was undoubtedly biting off far more than she could presently chew at the same time. "If . . . If you've already met him, which you clearly have, then maybe he's already told you what some of _his_ mutant powers are . . . and one of them is the ability to . . . alter the minds of those he so chooses. . . . So, when your powers first manifested and he was able to find you as a result, The Professor must have taken measures to ensure that no one at the hospital became suspicious over your mother's wounds, and how they'd come to be in the first place. . . ."

Mind now swirling with an even _greater_ 'answered to unanswered questions' ratio than before, Will firmly clutched at the sides of her head, as though attempting to nurse an oncoming headache, before suddenly rising to her feet.

"I-I just – This is just all still so flippin' _insane_. . . . I mean, any time I allow myself the chance to sit down and really digest all of the information given to me so far about . . . 'The Mutant World,' I guess, the further behind I fall within any weak attempt to understand _anything_ , really," she groaned within frustration, stamping her left sneaker down onto the otherwise polished floor for furthered emphasis. "I don't know how anyone else, a-a 'fellow mutant' honestly _could!_ How _you_ can, or at least seem to, you know? I mean, being able to find _any_ mutant in the world _just_ because they used their powers, for starters . . . and then apparently being able to have _more_ than one ability, at that, for another! I thought that _my_ . . . 'gifts' were bad enough, but now learning, _witnessing_ firsthand that there are others which can completely wipe away another person's free will, _and_ change their original perception, I just . . . I honestly don't know how to feel about any of that. . . . S-Still . . . for _now_ , at least, I will have to properly thank Professor Kandrakar when I see him again for helping us – Helping my _mom_ out like that. . . ."

Watching the redhead apparently choosing to put a proverbial pin within the current focus of discussion, despite her ongoing turmoil, only served to further remind Elyon that, in spite of her _own_ troubled past, she was nonetheless rather lucky by comparison to have already been immersed within 'The Mutant World,' as Will had put it, for five years now, and thus no longer ever felt as woefully confounded, herself.

_Is this really what I'll have to do, keep doing in the future once I take over the school, myself, Oracle? Will I have what it takes to put those future students' minds at ease and allay their fears? Have I even done so at all right now for Will? I barely even said anything_ , Elyon silently questioned as she gathered up her belongings and patiently stood at the redhead's side. _What if this is all just a huge mistake you've made by already naming me your successor?_

As though suddenly a mind reader, herself, Will let out a gruff exhale as she then proceeded to curiously shake out her arms and legs a moment, before slowly flashing the blonde a sheepish smile.

". . . . Something I do . . . or _used_ to do before a big swimming meet – Helped me get rid of any lingering tension I might have had," she quickly explained with another smile, this time a bit more mournful. "But, uh . . . _a-anyway,_ I think that that's enough sharing and feeling sorry for myself for _one_ day! I think I'm gonna sneak back into my dorm room, now, and . . . maybe give my mom a call to see how she's doing. T-Thanks . . . for listening, Elyon. This actually . . . really helped. . . ."

As Will already turned back around and finally began to ascend the marble staircase, her previous, forthcoming stance having run its course, a curious feeling of déjà vu suddenly overtook Elyon, causing her to quickly open her sketchbook and return to the most recent page.

"W-Wait a second, Will! I-I . . . I think this is for _you_ ," she stated with a light smile, her heart growing warm with gratitude as her periwinkle eyes momentarily focused upon the drawing she'd been previously working on before Will's arrival.

Because she apparently honestly _had_ been within a trance at the time, Elyon really hadn't yet realized what it was she had sketched out; _now_ , however, not only did she recognize it to evidently be yet _another_ one of her sub-powers activating without prompt, but it was also a simultaneous answer to the previous inquiry she had mentally posed a few moments ago.

_. . . . Maybe I can do this_ , the petite blonde mused with another smile, this one to herself as she gingerly tore out the rough draft of art from out of her book, and handed it to a now perplexed Will as the pair met each other halfway.

"Huh? What is this for - _Whoa_. . . ." Will started with a slowly raising eyebrow as she delicately accepted the piece of paper from the shorter girl, before promptly trailing off as her brown eyes gazed upon what appeared to be . . . _herself_ , climbing up the marble stairwell and saying precisely the very same thing she just had seconds ago. ". . . . 'T-Thanks . . . for listening, Elyon. This actually . . . really helped. . . .' I-I . . . just . . . _wow_. . . . Exactly _how_ many mutant abilities do you have, anyway?"

Although Will certainly wasn't the first person to ask the exact same question upon getting to know her throughout the years, Elyon nonetheless still would find herself feeling _immensely_ embarrassed whenever it was, often wondering herself why _she_ was born an apparent 'Omega-Level' mutant, while others were not.

It also made her wonder just how powerful both of her parents had been, if indeed they'd even possessed any abilities, themselves. . . .

Choosing instead, however, to merely shrug lightly and give another, shy smile within initial response, Elyon proceeded to make _light_ of her own, personal journey.

"Ha . . . Just be glad you apparently only have the _one_ to get the hang of and eventually one day master," she remarked within jest and a shake of her head, before both girls gave one another an awkward, although mutually content wave of goodbye, before Will then jogged the rest of the way up the stairwell and presumably back to her dormitory . . . assuming, of course, that Professor Starlighter did not find and undoubtedly _reprimand_ her for her temporary escape, first.

Surprisingly, despite all which had transpired within the past several minutes or so, a peaceful lull somehow washed over Elyon just then, the same one which had comfortably claimed her while she'd been sat outside.

"'. . . . Art is the window to man's soul. Without it, he would never be able to see beyond his immediate world; nor could the world see the man within.' . . . . Guess you were right about that, _after_ all, Mom. Thank you. . . ." she whispered to herself with a thoughtful, tender smile, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she looked down at her sketchbook and once again allowed the loving memory of both of her parents to envelope her entire being like a warm, comforting blanket. . . .

**\- End of Chapter Three**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta love Will's wishy-washy attitude about all of this, yeah? =) Methinks she'll still have her 'grudge-y' moments here and there within the near future, though, no worries, and continue to be a bit fatalistic sprinkled in, as well – Since, hey, she and I wouldn't be 'proper' Capri-frickin-corns, otherwise. LoL But, overall, she's definitely taken that first major step of getting over the first hurdle of finally accepting whom she now is. =)
> 
> Will she, too, eventually awaken other mutant powers, as well? ….Probably? LoL But definitely wanted to have Elyon more or less showcase her immense power, herself, right off the bat, which also helps continue to have her fall in line with slightly mirroring Jean, but also still keep her own personal elements meshed in, as well. It's also the same thing I'm attempting to do, anyway, with The Oracle/'Professor X,' although for now he's not AS super super important a focus during these earlier chapters. =) 
> 
> Still, I definitely plan to unveil a few more of Elyon's powers as we go along, already alluding to her mutual, canon ability to control all four elements the way Will can – Although Will probably will not within this story – the way she enjoys being a part of nature, etc.
> 
> What else...oh, right! That quote Elyon 'said' her mommy used to say to her. Twas originally spoken by the late First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, but thought I'd 'borrow' it as it was slightly relative to both the narrative, and obviously one of Elyon's other sub-powers...which she'll probably like a LOT better than being able to control another person the way she did with Will – Which, all things considered, she'd taken pretty well, right? LoL
> 
> Probably missed other things, but for now, I hope you liked this chapter and ongoing tale, and will stay tuned for the next chapter!


	4. Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate Mondays. I really do. No, wait. I did, mainly when I was in school, for obvious reasons. =) Now I'm not really fond of every other weekend, since those are my super busy ones and I'm not off then, damn it. LoL Anyway, as a result of writing this chapter and just remembering 'High School Me' most Mondays, I honestly had the song "Monday, Monday" by The Mamas & The Papas stuck within my head. =P I remember humming or singing it with my friends whenever we'd get off the bus together and head to our first period classes.
> 
> Sure, it may be a love song, but the end of the song most definitely matched with our feelings about the freaking day and having to go back to school. LoL
> 
> Anyway! I hope you'll enjoy this first half of the chapter all the same, My Lovelies! =)
> 
> -  
> This chapter was written/created in January 2018, and revised in June 2018.  
> -

Monday, Monday.

Nothing worse than having to start another dreaded week of school by taking an exam, first thing.

Worse still, if it was an exam neither studied for nor passed, although Irma was feeling more than just fairly confident that she had, especially considering all the revision her professors had made her do that past weekend, after all.

And this time around, she hadn't even been one of the last people to complete it . . . that she saw, anyhow, an observation which definitely helped put the Hydrokinetic mutant within a rather _forgiving_ mood for having to begin another, usually slowly paced school week back at _Bayville High School_ , and even having had to have been put on lock down back at the mansion for the rest of the weekend. . . .

After all, Irma hadn't been able to purchase that rocking pair of knee high boots at the mall for the _always_ iconic Karmilla's concert for that coming Friday as planned, but at least she was still being allowed to go at all . . . last she knew, anyway.

Besides, if she hadn't been forced to stay behind by Professor Lin, she might not have met the new girl, Will Vandom, and eventually made friends.

Silver lining, and all that.

Well, no.

To be fair, it wouldn't have really mattered if Irma had been on punishment or not, as she would have most definitely met the reserved redhead sooner or later, anyway, as pretty much every student at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ knows one another, or at least _of_ one another eventually.

The professors did kind of make that an ongoing point, after all.

Still, Irma was glad to have met Will when she had . . . even if it did result within the _very_ unexpected, and highly _accidental_ 'Short Out' of the evidently Electrokinetic newcomer, alongside Irma's 'enjoyable' _electrocution_. . . .

After that entire incident had gone down, Irma honestly just wanted to stay locked away within her dorm room the rest of the weekend, and even today, if she'd originally had her way, she'd felt that bad.

Because what was the point, really, of all that training, the perseverance, the _patience_ – Good _God_ , the patience – if stupid little slip-ups, like spilling a glass of water on someone whose electrified powers were still clearly _very_ much unchecked could happen?

Thankfully for good old Hay Lin coming to her best friend and roommate's rescue, though, as she'd been the first to swiftly remind the otherwise pretty laid back Irma of how far she'd come the last two years, and how there honestly had been no way of her knowing that Will was an Electrokinetic mutant.

" _It wasn't as though she'd advertised it to me, either, when we'd met, ourselves, Irma. You shouldn't continue to beat yourself up about it,"_ the petite artist had reminded within ongoing comfort yesterday morning before breakfast, upon immediately sensing that Irma had initially no intention of emerging from their shared dormitory, yet again.

" _. . . . At least, not until I've finished my exercises, Hay,"_ the brunette had mumbled within explanation, referencing the pinpoint precision techniques regarding her Hydrokinetic abilities she'd been repeatedly practicing since the previous evening. _"This way, I'll definitely be ready the next time another lightning-friendly student rolls up on campus, and I just gotta go and show off what I can do – Which, of course, we both know that even after all this, I very well will still go ahead and do. . . ."_

All's well that ended well, though, since both Irma and Will had been able to _finally_ talk things out after thankfully bumping into one another not long after lunchtime yesterday, anyhow.

Or, rather, Irma had bumped into Will, while on her way to the pool for her regular, daily swim (barring responsibilities, of course), and Will had evidently been on her way to find her . . . while also having just vacated the swimming area, of all places, herself.

It was honestly almost like dealing with an entirely new person that time around, and maybe it had been, the way the previously wound up and guarded Will had been able to express, albeit shyly, her deep regret at having injured Irma and caused such trouble in the first place.

The complete one-eighty was certainly enough to make the naturally curious Irma ask what had sparked such an abrupt turnaround, but had decidedly thought better of it since, despite now being a tiny bit more forthright, Will still appeared to be hanging onto the obvious fortress of protected emotions she had going on for her.

That, and when Irma had momentarily looked over Will's shoulder, she had just managed to catch a glimpse of _Elyon_ looking right back at her with a knowing sort of smile, before quickly scurrying away from the pool area altogether.

Thus, needless to say, Irma knew when to leave well enough alone, especially when it apparently involved _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ future Headmistress, and all the many, many, _many_ different mutant abilities she was very lucky to possess and Irma was eternally envious of . . . within good sport, of course.

Not to mention that even if Irma really _did_ have a serious bone to pick with Elyon within any sort of manner, her unofficial guard dog would most certainly have it out with her, anyway – Not that that didn't honestly happen pretty much on a daily basis for one reason or another, anyhow.

_Speaking_ of. . . .

"Heyyy, there, Corny! I was _just_ thinking of you, did you know? And here you are! It must be fate," Irma teased with a carefree grin as she approached the crouching blonde within the bustling hallway in between First and Second Period.

Cornelia immediately tensed up upon hearing her reluctant friend's voice, before releasing a rather dramatic exhale as a result.

"Of course! Except, you know, barring the fact that I _am_ currently in front of my blatantly _open_ locker, and that my next period class _is_ right across the hall from it, as we both well know," she offered up within her usual, matter-of-fact and fed up sounding tone whenever speaking with her polar opposite.

Irma merely raised her hands up within mock defeat at this, nonetheless, and smirked, before maneuvering around the taller girl in order to lean against one of the many sealed lockers nearest hers.

"Well, I'm just sayin'! You know how much I enjoy running into you during our shared day to day, but to _think_ of you on top of that – _And_ to actually have you show up right when I do? I mean, c'mon, now: _Cherry_ on top, on this, O Blessed Monday back at school!" she fired back without missing a beat, her words drenched within her patented saccharine sort of sarcasm she was fully aware grated on Cornelia's nerves all the more.

Sure enough, the traditionally serious teenager promptly lifted her head up from her open shoulder bag placed temporarily between her legs as she swapped out a few of her notebooks and textbooks, and glared daggers at a now giggling Irma.

" _Jesus_ , Irma! Yeah, it _is_ Monday! So can't you save your annoying . . . _ness_ for later on? You'd think you'd be more moody like you usually are at the start of every school week, _especially_ ones which contain looming _tests_. . . . I take it you bombed your 'U.S. History' exam – With no real surprise to _me_ , of course?"

Irma merely rolled her eyes and scoffed with yet another smirk, in spite of her so called opponent's best efforts to get underneath her skin . . . even _if_ the blonde surprisingly knew her well enough to at least take note of the fact that she truly _did_ detest Mondays on the whole.

"Ha! Sucks to be _you_ , Cornikins, because not only did I pass that test, but I probably got anywhere between a B to maybe even an A-minus on it . . . or, okay so probably more like B-plus, although they're honestly the same difference, really," she remarked with a cheeky grin, sticking out her tongue for good measure. "So, yeah! You can just go ahead and eat my _ass_ on that one, Goldilocks! Although I _will_ say I am touched that you seem to pay enough attention to me to even _remember_ about my never-ending love affair with good ol' Monday, Monday!"

That was the ticket.

Irma knew that her last comment would _completely_ trigger Cornelia, and unravel the otherwise well maintained composure of perfection she usually exuded on a daily basis, because as soon as she'd said it and the other girl had finished carrying on with her business within her painfully neat locker, Cornelia slammed it shut within undeniable disgust.

Or was it _embarrassment?_

Perhaps even a hint of . . . Irma wasn't really sure, to be quite honest, although there certainly was a splash of something _new_ brought into the usual mix which the brunette hadn't expected, and which honestly caught _her_ a bit off guard, as well.

" _W-W-What_ did you say? E-Eat your – ? _Ugh!_ Could you _be_ any more revolting, Irma?" Cornelia stammered profusely, cheeks greatly aflame and her usual confidence completely flown out of the window as she suddenly found herself woefully incapable of maintaining eye contact with the now befuddled Irma, who could only slowly raise her eyebrow at the sight.

Cornelia _could_ , however, frantically gaze about the continually crowded hallway, clearly feeling relieved that it was far too loud for anyone but the two of them to have heard what Irma had previously stated.

_Whatever_ she'd been thinking, or had been the matter with her had already passed, as the admittedly quite mature older girl swiftly calmed herself down and coolly tucked a stray strand of her pulled back blonde hair behind her ear, before exhaling deeply toward Irma within what _eerily_ almost sounded like a parent's disappointment within their child.

And considering the previous statement, said connection only made things all the _more_ bizarre for Irma to continue witnessing. . . .

"You'd think living at the mansion would have awarded you a bit more maturity and insight over time, Irma, but I guess not. Still, hopefully _something_ will rub off on you soon, though . . . preferably _before_ graduation," Cornelia stated with an even sort of calm, carefully draping her shoulder bag back over her left shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading to my 'AP Calc.' class before the bell rings – Because I, _unlike_ you, prefer _not_ receiving any tardy slips, thus possibly ruining my chances at going to Karmilla's rock concert this Friday. . . ."

Irma let out a purposefully loud, purposefully _obnoxious_ snort at this as she pushed herself off of the random locker she'd been propping herself against that entire time.

"Oh, yeah, of courrrse! It's easy not to be late to your next class when it's right-freaking-there, like you pointed out. Even a _toddler_ could get there on time without ever receiving one late slip," she jeered with a chuckle, choosing to let her housemate have the rest of her honestly weak insults for a change as, once again, she was in a pretty good mood for a Monday. "Now, you run along and go learn all about your precious 'Derivatives' and 'Integrals,' and tell Taranee I'll save a seat for her at lunch later, yeah? Have _funnn!_ "

And with that, Irma was off, charging down the now thinning out hallway like an honest bolt of lightning, ironically, leaving a presumably scowling Cornelia behind to probably wonder how or _why_ the brunette was even aware of what Integrals and Derivatives were, both considering Irma was presently taking Algebra, and that both girls were keenly aware that Cornelia (and admittedly a few other fellow students) perceived her to be a bit of a slacker.

So long as it didn't involve her family, any of her close friends, or _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ and its faculty, Irma traditionally couldn't give a rat's ass what anyone thought nor spoke of her, as _she_ knew the truth of herself.

And so, too, did anyone else who truly mattered to her, as well.

Besides which, Irma presently had three things going for her which helped keep everything within perspective.

Number One: High school was just a drop within the massive ocean of life, so really virtually anything which would occur while there wouldn't even come close to mattering within the long run.

Number Two: She so _totally_ more or less 'aced' her 'U.S. History' exam, which meant that . . . Number Three: She was free to spend the rest of the week coordinating outfits with Jubilee and Megan for Karmilla's concert come Friday night.

Hey.

She still did firmly believe virtually anything which would occur while within high school really wouldn't come close to mattering later on in life . . . just not including her first time attending an actual, mother-loving _Karmilla_ concert, that's all.

Everything within perspective.

* * *

"And be sure to study everything thoroughly for Friday's quiz, all right? Have a great day, you guys!" Mister Arya hurriedly stated as his students began filing out of the doorway just as swiftly, carrying his usually calm and honestly soothing voice over the bell which had just then signaled the end of Second Period.

It was probably a very good thing that Mister Arya was pretty popular – No, _Leonard_ , as he'd requested all his students refer to him as (primarily due to the fact that it was apparently quite difficult for several of them to properly pronounce his last name for whatever the reason) . . . or else Cornelia was fairly certain there would have been _some_ sort of revolt at the fact that not only would there be even _more_ studying involved, but that a _quiz_ now just so happened to coincide with one of the biggest events to hit the generally quiet city of Bayville in quite a bit.

It was also a very good thing that Cornelia was usually pretty prepared and generally caught up within her studies, anyhow, regardless of the topic, or else she, too, might have actually been a bit outraged, herself . . . although, it wasn't to say that she was the tremendous fan of Karmilla the way Jubilee or Irma were, for example.

She was just more so merely looking forward to going at all, honestly, because it would provide her with the perfect excuse to spend some quality time with _Elyon_ , within a setting which _didn't_ involve the high school, or the mansion, or _any_ of that for a change.

. . . . Well, a pretty sizable chunk of their housemates were going, Cornelia was aware, and she was pretty sure that more than just a handful of the rest of the kids from Bayville would be going, as well, so it technically _would_ still involve both 'worlds' in some fashion.

Still.

This would hopefully be Cornelia's 'in' to making the concert a date without actually _labeling_ it as one . . . at least, not aloud, anyway.

After all, it _had_ been Elyon's suggestion that the two of them go together and 'let our hair down for a change,' as she'd put it, when the news first broke months ago that Karmilla would be making a first time visit to the otherwise pretty ho-hum Bayville area.

And, of course, Cornelia had continued to play it cool, which really wasn't terribly difficult as again, the superstar's music really wasn't her cup of tea, and she'd said as much.

_Especially_ if it meant having to share the concert arena with _Irma_ , who, of course, was positively over the _moon_ within exultation over the upcoming turn of events.

Nonetheless, despite still firmly wanting nothing to change between them as best friends, if going to the concert would also mean getting a chance at being close to Elyon, all while dressing up a bit and perhaps even getting her to notice the effort she was most assuredly going to put that night in getting ready, then . . . perhaps it all _would_ be worth it.

One little moment of private indulgence wouldn't hurt, would it?

As Cornelia continued privately daydreaming about the unrequited focus of her burgeoning affections (and once more feeling rather thankful that there weren't any mind-reading mutants within the class she'd just left), her attention then splintered onto another particular individual who'd just hurried past her within an admittedly pitiful attempt not to be noticed.

By her, by everyone, Cornelia wasn't really sure, although from what she was aware of the Thermokinetic mutant so far, Taranee Cook wasn't really one for making waves.

In fact, if Cornelia was perfectly honest with herself, she'd _still_ find herself usually forgetting half the time that the two girls even shared the same class, even after having been directly asked by The Professor to sort of take the bashful girl underneath her wing.

And it _especially_ slipped her mind that they also had the same lunch period with both Irma and Hay Lin.

But then, within Cornelia's defense, seats weren't alphabetical within their 'Advanced Placement Calculus' class, which meant that Taranee usually sat far in the back and rarely raised her hand, while Cornelia did the exact opposite.

And as far as _lunchtime_ was concerned, as irritating as she could be, Cornelia would usually alternate between sitting with Irma (although mainly because _Hay Lin_ would obviously sit with her, what with _somehow_ being her best friend and all), and sitting with a few other housemates from the institute.

She didn't know exactly where Taranee sat, although Irma apparently seemed to, given her having asked Cornelia to pass along the message that she'd 'see her at lunch.'

Speaking of, Cornelia supposed she may as well do so now, and use that as a way to breach the otherwise awkward segue into being forced to being the incredibly skittish girl's 'mentor' of sorts where her mutant abilities were concerned.

No time like the present, after all, especially considering Elyon had already managed to not only touch base with _Will_ the day before, but had apparently imparted some sort of profound _wisdom_ to the newcomer.

While it may not have been an actual competition over whom would ultimately be the best 'Mutant Tutor,' Cornelia couldn't help but let her natural rivalry take over once Elyon had informed her of the news during bedtime last night.

And as admittedly adorable as it'd been to have watched the petite blonde beam with pride at having been able to "actually help out on my first go of it," as she'd stated, Cornelia wasn't about to let herself fall behind as a fellow Junior Professor.

. . . . Even if she _really_ wasn't looking forward to it, as she was pretty certain both she and Taranee would have absolutely _nothing_ in common, barring mutual smarts where at least mathematics was concerned, in addition to the both of them being mutants.

She really _did_ have to wonder, if only just a little bit, if The Professor might have swapped Irma out for herself a bit too prematurely, as the brunette _had_ originally been all too eager and willing to show the other new girl the ropes, after all. . . .

Exhaling heavily within defeated resignation, Cornelia swiftly began to pick up the pace as her blue eyes trained themselves upon Taranee's retreating form within the near distance.

"H-Hey, Taranee! Good morning!" Cornelia breathed with as casual a smile as she could presently muster, just managing to catch up to the now taken aback girl before the both of them had rounded the corner ahead. "Today's lesson with Leonard was pretty . . . pretty intense, huh? Sucks that we have to have a _quiz_ the same day as the big rock concert, though, right?"

Cornelia could feel her cheeks growing incredibly hot as Taranee merely stared blankly back at her from behind her rectangular and black framed eyeglasses.

She couldn't really say that she blamed her current confusion, honestly, as even Cornelia wasn't readily sure what all of that was about.

_God, I'm sounding like Irma or something_ , she groaned inwardly, puckering up her glossed lips as she had to silently remind herself that she _wasn't_ some mindless teenager, incapable of handling even the most basic of situations, such as simply conversing with a fellow student. _It's not like you two haven't already spoken before, even if it's been few and far in between. You've got this, Cornelia!_

"O-Oh, um, yeah, I guess so, Cornelia . . . although I honestly didn't really find it to be all that complicated, myself," Taranee innocently remarked with a slight nod and smile, before both girls resumed their walk further down the high school's busy hallway. "But then, mathematics has just always been my favorite subject. . . . And as for having the quiz on Friday, that's all right by me, since I'm not going to that concert, anyway. . . ."

Choosing to ignore and immediately swallow down the admittedly nuisance of a competitive streak within her once more, as Taranee had more or less indirectly challenged the blonde's own intellect (even _if_ it had already become widespread throughout _both_ campuses of how incredibly knowledgeable Taranee truly was), Cornelia instead pushed through with the overall conversation.

" _Mmm_ . . . Well, maybe later on in the week you and I could still do some revision together, anyway, huh? Especially if you're not going to go to Karmilla's concert, since pretty much everyone _else_ will be and won't honestly be focusing on _proper_ studying," Cornelia stated a bit evenly at first, before forcing herself to relax and completely shift gears onto the topic of the week as a way to better get the ball rolling between them.

Taranee merely shrugged at this, however, not seeming to have caught the taller girl's brief discourtesy.

"Yeah, I think that would probably be best, since I think you're right about how it seems everyone here at Bayville – Even back at the institute, honestly – just have this whole concert thing on their minds. But, to be fair, Karmilla isn't honestly half bad, so I guess it's understandable," she commented with another, slowly growing smile, although this one appeared a bit more forlorn within nature.

Having caught sight of this, and honestly already running out of anything else to discuss, Cornelia promptly pounced upon it, although taking extra care to maintain as respectful and easygoing a demeanor as possible.

Elyon was _so_ not going to 'win' this mentoring thing.

"Ohhh, that's right. You've only been here for about a month or so, right? So honestly all of this, well, craziness about a big time superstar coming to a small, generally tame city would probably be a bit of a shell shock . . . especially, you know. Given the timing, and all," Cornelia finished a bit cryptically and carefully lowered her breath as a result, although her last statement appeared to affect the raven haired girl all the same.

Even though Cornelia naturally didn't know all too much about Taranee, she was at least still aware of what The Professor had informed both she and Elyon of upon the timid girl's arrival the previous month.

That she, like Will, had had the unfortunate experience of having her mutant abilities manifest unexpectedly, during a family camping trip before school would have started for Taranee, back within her much more populated hometown of Sesamo, Connecticut.

" _Miss Cook's abilities are Thermokinetic within nature, and had regrettably manifested themselves twice upon that trip, the first being during a previously cooling dip within a nearby spring with her older brother, Peter . . . and then the second time, a bit more . . . theatrical, as it were, when she and the rest of her family were intending to roast marshmallows back at their campsite,"_ Professor Kandrakar had explained within his usual, sympathetic tone whenever a new student would awaken to their powers without any prior knowledge. _"Yes. Apparently the entire bag Miss Cook had been holding onto had inexplicably begun to brown and cook themselves just by her simple touch, alone. . . . Needless to say, her family's vacation had been immediately cut short upon witnessing such an otherwise troubling sight."_

Although Taranee's 'story' wasn't terribly original by that point to Cornelia, having met and lived with so many other students who've also had the misfortune of waking one day with previously unimaginable powers, she still could and did also sympathize, herself.

After all, her _own_ 'origins' had been made known to her from the get go, so when Cornelia had awakened to her mutant capabilities, it was fully welcomed, as well as embraced.

However, if there was one thing she'd swiftly learned during her time at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , it was that not everyone had it easy in life, _especially_ not when it came to being a mutant. . . .

It honestly both further humbled her, as well as make her truly respect those who were previously blind to who they really were, much like Elyon, or even Will and Taranee . . . _especially_ Taranee within this case, as she was also adopted, evidently, and no one else within her family were also mutants, or even were aware they'd existed prior to the initiating incident.

Still, from what Cornelia was also made to understand, Taranee's family was a rather closely knit one, through and through, and as understandably upsetting as everything had been, they had made it abundantly clear that they loved her no less than before, and would stick with her every step of the way.

Cornelia had to honestly stop and wonder what it might have been like had the Cook and Hale families had lived near one another since day one, what with the way the blonde's parents still very much felt about non-mutants.

Hell, how Cornelia, herself, used to feel about non-mutants.

She'd probably would have made Taranee's life a complete nightmare, if she was perfectly honest with herself, just for having a 'non-gifted family.'

Despite the overall, morose reflection, Cornelia couldn't help but smile thoughtfully with a bit of personal esteem over how far she truly had come as an individual, filling her up with a renewed vigor to help Taranee out _properly_ , and not because of any competing factors against Elyon, or even because she'd been directly asked by their Headmaster.

But because it was the right thing to do.

As the two girls began climbing up the nearest set of stairs toward the second level of the high school in order to reach their next, although this time separate classes, Taranee gazed down at her now outstretched hands within pointed contemplation.

". . . . Y-Yeah. I guess that's true," she murmured, more so to herself with a faraway, facial expression, before swiftly taking in a deep inhale and appearing to snap out of her previous haze. "B-But, um, i-in all honesty . . . I think having to move here really was all for the best. I mean, well, I'm definitely still not fully all right with the decision, having to leave my family and former life behind, but . . . at least it had been left up to _me_ to make that final call. And, thankfully, I still even _have_ my family's support and love to fall back on no matter what. . . ."

Taking brief note within Taranee's meditative pause, which Cornelia was fully aware was taught at the institute by their professors as one of the principle ways of maintaining control over one's powers, the blonde couldn't help but smile genuinely upon hearing the bashful teenager's words.

"That's _honestly_ great to know, Taranee," she stated warmly as the pair reached the top of the staircase, hesitating a moment before gently resting a hand upon the shorter girl's shoulder. "And, hey. It's really great to see the strides you've already made just by coming here, as well. If . . . If you want, maybe some time I could help you out sometime. You know, be more than just study partners for our 'AP Calc.' quiz on Friday, you get it. . . ."

Taranee's soft brown eyes lit up at this as she smiled back, apparently clearly touched by the other girl's offer.

"R-Really? You wouldn't be too busy or something like that, like what Irma said? That'd actually be pretty great, thanks, as I understand that both you and Elyon are kind of like . . . I guess two perfect examples of what living at the institute could do if you're dedicated enough. And I'm nothing, if not pretty dedicated," she revealed with a light chuckle, running a hand through her medium length and free flowing hair as she'd unfortunately managed to yet again unconsciously sour Cornelia's previously relaxed mood.

". . . . 'Like what Irma said?' What _did_ Irma tell you about me, anyway, if you don't mind my asking?" she naturally inquired, with as much tactful pleasantness as she could presently muster, as she was already well aware that _whatever_ the Hydrokinetic joker had been saying about her, it was undoubtedly overly exaggerated, and _greatly_ vexing.

Smartly sensing the sudden tension upon referring to their mutual housemate, Taranee carefully cleared her throat before simply stating, ". . . . J-Just that you recently got promoted, I suppose, as sort of a student teacher – You _and_ Elyon, actually, and that because of that, you just kind of have your plates full, more than the rest of us. So that's why Irma's kind of been showing me how things go around here on and off, herself. _She's_ also pretty impressive, herself. I just hope that _I_ can get the hang of – "

Just then, the late bell had sounded, causing Taranee to squeal within obvious stress and alarm, as she looked down at her wristwatch and already began taking off further down the hallway.

"O-Oh, my God! I'mlate! _We're_ late! I'm _never_ late! S-Sorry, Cornelia! I-I'll talk to you later, maybe during lunchtime today!" she called out from over her shoulder as she gave a quick wave of goodbye and continued her frantic sprint toward her next class.

And normally, Cornelia would have been right there with her, as she, too, took esteemed pride within a generally non-blemished, scholastic attendance, as she'd made the point of more or less rubbing within Irma's face earlier that morning.

However, within _that_ present moment, the only thing she could clearly think of was getting to Fourth Period, so that she could see the nauseatingly irritating girl again and positively _throttle_ her with abandon.

"And here I was worried about falling behind Elyon and her own tutorial progress, when I've got Irma _still_ trying to steal away my student!" Cornelia hissed underneath her breath, her emotions seething and mind running wild . . . at the same time that the ground beneath her feet suddenly began to gently quiver, and the rows of unopened lockers on both sides of the now partially empty hallway popped open as a result.

" _W-What_ the –? An _earthquake?_ And in _New York?_ Students, quickly! Take cover, and remain _calm!_ " Cornelia could hear the female teacher within the open classroom a little ahead of her frantically instruct, causing immediate guilt to shoot straight through her as a result, especially upon both listening to and seeing several other nearby classrooms fill with terrified students in addition to cries of alarm.

Great shame and utter disappointment overwhelmed her senses within that moment as she'd then managed to thankfully regain the usual control she had over her Geokinetic abilities moments later, causing the so called earthquake to promptly stop just as soon as it had begun.

Nonetheless, the damage, thankfully only proverbially, it seemed, was already done, as while Cornelia swiftly played the part of concerned student and ran to the nearest open doorway and wedged herself within it for 'safety,' the school's principal could already be heard speaking nervously over the public address system.

"S-Students and faculty, this is Principal Knickerbocker speaking! P-Please, _remain_ where you are and maintain shelter, until we are _absolutely_ certain the danger has passed! O-Once I believe that it has, I will be sounding the fire drill in order for everyone to vacate the school within a safe and orderly fashion, so that we can better assess the situation," the traditionally quite strict, although generally well meaning older woman instructed as calmly as her obviously rattled nerves could manage, before sharp sounds of dramatic feedback could then be heard as she sloppily struggled to turn off the P.A. system moments later.

As students and teachers alike began to speak feverishly amongst themselves, in spite of their principal's previous direction of 'remaining calm,' Cornelia's own mind was running a mile a second while surveying the brief, yet palpable chaos she had wrought all around her.

Pens, pencils, and books upon books were strewn haplessly about the ground, as the lockers to which they'd once belonged limply hanged open.

If that was the only sort of property damage to have occurred as a result of her uncharacteristic mischance, then Cornelia would _never_ again allow Irma to get the better of her for as long as she lived!

. . . . Like that was honestly possible, really.

Still.

So long as no one got injured in any way, then Cornelia was a happy girl.

. . . . There just was now the question of how to explain to The Professor that her first so called day on the job as a Junior Professor resulted within an impromptu _earthquake_ drill for a school which had never before needed one, to her knowledge, anyway.

". . . . Well Ellie definitely has me beat on this one. _Great_ way to start the week off, as well," Cornelia muttered to herself within renewed self-admonition, shaking her blond head within disgust as she continued to look upon her temporary handy work, all while waiting as patiently as she could for the fire drill bell to sound so that she could finally vacate the premises.

Monday, Monday.

**\- End of Chapter Four (Part One)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Cornelia, although I did want to show that even someone as so 'put together' as she could have slip ups every now and again . . . even if it might mean causing an earthquake here and there. LoL Speaking of, in case the 'scene' might have been a bit familiar to any of you reading, yep, I did take inspiration from Lance/Avalanche back in Season 1 when he first met Kitty/Shadowcat and showed her his powers. =) Great. Now I wanna watch me some "X-Men: Evolution," again. LoL
> 
> Anyhow! What else, what else. . . . Oh, right. Irma and Will were finally able to reconcile and 'make nice . . .' just off camera. LoL No worries! They'll still definitely interact some more the following chapter, but I just didn't want to drag that whole incident any further than necessary – At least, not where the whole, "Ohhh, noes! I don't know if that new girl I just met hates me!" and junkola is concerned. LoL
> 
> Also, yayyy: Taranee! That takes care of the main cast, for the most part, finally, although I didn't want to super unload all of her backstory in this chapter. Well, no, I guess I did, but I'll most probably plan on allowing her to explain it a bit more intimately later on . . . also probably to Will, the way I sees it, ya see. LoL
> 
> And that little blurb about Taranee and Cornelia's Calculus teacher asking his students to call him by his first name, mainly because 'no one' can pronounce his surname, was just me remembering one of my only favorite mathematics professors, whose name was also Leonard and also requested we all did the same for the same reasons. Only diff was the last name, with the real Leonard's starting with an 'N' and being much longer by comparison. But obviously out of respect, I didn't/won't use or say it here. =)
> 
> Buuuut, yeah! Can't think of anything else beyond all that! Hopefully I'll be able to post the second half as soon as possible, though, where I finally get to showcase a few, genuine antagonists for a change . . . and not just the kind Cornelia clearly believes Irma to be. LoL
> 
> See you soon, My Lovelies. :)


	5. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd unfortunately realized too late that I'd originally written that Taranee had arrived to the institute about a week before Will had, instead of the month Cornelia referenced during the last chapter. Cornelia's assessment is actually correct, for future note, as when I'd originally started this story and was writing it/the first and second chapter, my mind was still echoing my initial decision to make both girls' arrivals more or less coincide. Sort of like the comics, yeah. But then I later settled upon stretching out the gap between them, just so that, while they'll obviously bond later on and grow together, Will can at least rely a little bit on Taranee in terms of getting to know the school/entire area with fresher eyes than that of Elyon, or Irma, for example. =)
> 
> But, yeah. Just had to straighten that out and apologize here and now, in case any of you would naturally be confused about it. Like I said, I really, REALLY can't stand when I mess up like that, especially considering the amount of hammering I do to make sure everything makes as much sense as possible out of the starting gate.
> 
> Damn it. LoL
> 
> ** Anyhow, another thing to note is that I also have a 'Ko-Fi' account, where it explains everything as to why it exists in the first place: https://ko-fi.com/U6U4FVTM
> 
> 'Coffees' from any of you after reading this chapter would obviously be tremendous (with EXTREME gratitude if you do), although finally getting a few followers over there would be neat, as well, as it's been a tad 'lonely.' LoL (And if any of YOU create a 'Ko-Fi' page, please do add me there, and let me know in general, so that I could possibly help advertise it within my next 'Author's Note!' =) ) **
> 
> Please, enjoy!
> 
> -  
> This chapter was written/created in August 2018.  
> -

"You know, all things considered, _you_ should consider it an . . . _honor_ that you're the first Geokinetic student to cause an earthquake at Bayville – Or, at least, that we know of," Elyon murmured within light jesting and the gentle patting of an incredibly sullen Cornelia, as the two blondes waited for their ride home during what would have been around the beginning of Fourth Period.

As instructed by Principal Knickerbocker, the entire student body had universally been told to remain upon school premises until either their parents or designated guardians arrived to pick them up.

This was, in fact, a decision the middle-aged woman had secretly wished she could have promptly made as soon as she'd felt the very first trembling of the unexpected earthquake, as such an otherwise natural occurrence was one of the main motivating factors she had moved away from southern California _decades_ ago.

Nevertheless, she had a role to play and a job to do, and she had, following proper protocol and helping her faculty and staff successfully complete _Bayville High School's_ first-in-a-very- _very_ -long-time earthquake drill.

" _While our maintenance staff continue to properly assess any possible damage, I have decided to enact an early dismissal, for the sake of our continued safety. Students, please remain within whichever classroom you were prior to the earthquake, while we contact your parents or guardians to come pick you up. Once we have done so, you are free to then head straight back to the front parking lot and wait . . . within an orderly fashion,"_ Principal Knickerbocker had reported within earnest over the public address system, several minutes after re-entering the high school with the rest of its occupants.

While her voice had sounded a lot calmer, and thus, helping to give off the usual air of levelheadedness, Cornelia was pretty sure that the older woman's nerves were still no doubt more than just a little rattled over the fair haired girl's unintended shock wave.

In truth, majority of the student assemblage more or less showcased the sentiment, understandably – Even a couple fellow mutants, as well, Cornelia had regrettably witnessed while continuing to stand outside alongside her best friend.

While it was fair to say that the City of Bayville hadn't before experienced an earthquake the entire time _Cornelia_ had lived there, at least, she was finding it incredibly difficult to believe that she _was_ the very first Geokinetic mutant to have ever lost control of their powers, at least enough to cause noticeable tremors within a public setting.

Although she hadn't really gotten the chance to get to know her before she'd decidedly left _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ prematurely, before then returning to her family's home in Denmark a few years ago, Cornelia was pretty certain that fellow Geokinetic mutant, Petra Kristinson had had _her_ fair share of weak moments.

After all, by comparison, Cornelia had at least been aware that Petra had not been at all comfortable within her own skin, let alone her power over earth, and hadn't appeared to be as capable or . . . _talented_ , so to speak, with her gifts the way Cornelia was.

Still.

Surely even _Professor Starlighter_ , during _her_ youth, had . . . well, no.

Maybe not Professor Starlighter, as Cornelia honestly couldn't imagine such a masterful woman ever losing control over her powers like that . . . or, at least not of that magnitude, no pun intended.

No. It didn't matter.

There was no point within deflecting blame within this, not as a student who always did her best to follow the rules and adapt accordingly to whatever happened next, and _especially_ not as a newly appointed Junior Professor for the institute.

Not when this was finally her time to _really_ show her professors precisely all she had learned from them thus far, and what she was truly capable of.

She _was_ ready for this, this newfound responsibility.

Whatever the impending punishment to come for having lost control of her powers - And she was one hundred percent positive there would be, Cornelia was simply going to accept the consequences without resistance. . . .

". . . . M-Maybe 'Bayville Middle School's' had _its_ fair share of mishaps of the 'earthy' variety, courtesy of Amara's continually naive, albeit well meaning outlook on life," Cornelia hollowly listened to Elyon weakly continue at her side, causing the taller girl to groan heavily within renewed embarrassment as a result.

"You know that _none_ of this is helping me feel better, right, Elle? Amara used to be _incredibly_ sheltered before coming to the mansion _only_ seven months ago, and is still learning. Meanwhile, _I'm_ a Junior Professor, now, been there for _years_ , and just should have _known_ better than to let _Irma_ , of all people, get me so riled up like that," she stated darkly, cheeks dusting themselves a deep, reddening hue as she struggled to ignore the fact that the secret object of her affections was even aware of her mistake in the first place. "I'm just . . . just _really_ glad that no one seems to have gotten hurt, at least. . . ."

Suddenly moving behind her obviously guilt-ridden friend, Elyon gently began to massage Cornelia's svelte shoulders within ongoing comfort, although the physical gesture only served within causing her friend greater distress than the intended relief.

"Hey, hey. . . . You're not the first mutant in the history of mutants to screw up, and you certainly won't be the last," Elyon soothed as best she could as she continued her kneading, although she knew that Cornelia's stubbornness and self-reprimanding was usually initially far superior to any words of support. "Let's just get home, tell Oracle what happened, and we'll deal with whatever comes afterward, okay?"

Cornelia couldn't help but roll her icy blue eyes at this, somehow in spite of her great urge to slink as far away from the other girl's touch without being painfully obvious.

"Please. The Professor is an _incredibly_ powerful psychic, just like _you_ , Elyon. We both know fully well that he already kn -"

"- S-So, is . . . _every_ first day at this school like this for new students, or no? I had no idea that Bayville was apparently on a fault line," both friends turned around in time to catch a visibly shaken Will approach from behind, her bobbed red hair within tangles as though having been clutching or pulling at it.

Elyon could only smile within sympathy at the thankfully 'Shorted Out' new girl before shaking her head within response, while Cornelia lightly scowled, more so at herself, as she opened her mouth to respond.

She was beaten, however, by a regrettably familiar female voice which then sounded off at her left side, causing Cornelia to immediately take deep, concentrated breaths as she prepared herself for the verbal sparring which usually occurred whenever their paths would cross.

She'd already allowed Irma to get the better of her, today; she wasn't about to let it happen once more, and _not_ by someone who was admittedly _far_ more vexing within nature. . . .

"It is when 'Miss Perfect' can't keep it together! What's the matter, Cornelia? Has living within that _idyllic_ little mansion of yours and having to conform to all its rules and regulations finally _gotten_ to you?" Cornelia clenched her teeth tightly as she was forced to listen to her formerly close friend, Courtney Grumper question tauntingly, stopping so that she purposefully stood in between a now taken aback Elyon, and herself.

Generally, Cornelia was rather good at avoiding any sort of interaction with the unpleasant and snarky redhead, be it at school or around the city; however, given that it now was an emergency half day, she couldn't say that she was terribly surprised to have been 'lucky' enough to bump into her.

She just wished that whatever her erstwhile companion's furthered insults were going to be would only be limited to herself, rather than also including _Elyon_ within the mix, as they usually would.

And to think that both the Hale and Grumper families used to be quite close in the past, what with their shared philosophy concerning mutant superiority . . . although, to be fair, both Cornelia's, as well as Courtney's parents actually still got together frequently, last she cared to make note of.

It was simply their _children_ whom no longer got along, and all because of Elyon. . . .

At least, according to _Courtney's_ point of view, anyway.

It wasn't even simply Elyon's fault, either, but _Professor Kandrakar_ and his institute, and how inclusive they preferred to be where both mutants, as well as non-mutants were concerned.

Within Courtney's mind, had Cornelia never enrolled to _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ all those years ago and had later become friends with Elyon, who truly _had_ been a pivotal factor within changing her overall outlook, then the two girls would still be as close as they once were.

And because of this, the fellow mutant had evidently made it her life's newfound mission to make the generally kind and non-confrontational girl her steady target, all while purposefully taunting Cornelia to that fact along the way.

"Take a hike, Courtney, _seriously_. Maybe one of your _clones_ can finally talk some sense into you and convince you to get a _life_ ," Cornelia shot back within a carefully lowered voice, making the open reference to the freckle faced girl's self-replicating abilities, as more students approached and also began waiting for their own rides.

"Tch! _Please!_ At least I'm not _afwaaid_ of what my loser professors, or my _pwecious_ new best friend will think whenever I _do_ use my powers!" Courtney remarked derisively, her words laced with sheer venom as her feelings over her fallout with the statuesque blonde were still blatantly a sore subject. She then promptly zeroed in on a exasperated looking Elyon and cruelly smirked, all while apparently preferring to not even have the now stunned silent Will register upon her radar. "Tell me something, ' _Ellie_ :' You must enjoy keeping Cornelia on that tight, puppy dog _leash_ you've somehow managed to get her into, don't you? Constantly reminding her not to use her powers all willy-nilly gives _you_ the chance to flaunt that _freakish_ amount you have all you want! And here me and Bess always thought that you really _don't_ believe mutants are above _humans_ – Or maybe you just think _you're_ the one who's better than _everyone_ on the entire planet, that's all!"

Cornelia immediately felt her blood pressure rising and control threatening to weaken for the second time that morning, especially upon gazing at a clearly wounded Elyon, all three girls (naturally negating Will) knowing how much the petite blonde's Omega level status continued to bother her on and off, despite her best efforts for it not to.

As Cornelia was about to lay into the continually smirking Courtney and _really_ let her have it, her mind was suddenly infiltrated by Elyon's long-familiar, and far more welcoming voice.

 _It's all right, Cornelia. Courtney's just trying to get you to lose focus, again. Don't let her get to you_ , she gently urged mentally as the pair locked eyes within understanding, before Cornelia moved herself back to her best friend's side.

Seeing that her blatant vilification had served only to apparently _strengthen_ the fierce loyalty and care each girl possessed toward the other, it was all Courtney could do to contain her _own_ personal rage.

However, right as she was about to truly drive the nail into the proverbial coffin, one of her apparent clones suddenly emerged from the growing crowd of students surrounding the quartet and gently tugged at the sleeve of Courtney's yellow tinted jacket.

"Hey. C'mon, Court. Mom's here to pick us up, and . . . Oh, _great_. It's the 'Loser Brigade' and . . . some _new_ chick I've never seen before. Do yourself a favor, Red; steer clear of these two, _and_ the rest of Kandrakar's little kiddies. You have _no_ clue what that school's up to, nor do you _want_ to," Courtney's doppelganger warned with the same amount of coldheartedness intermingling her words as the original, yet also with a tad more general disinterest at the same time.

As Will and both blondes thankfully watched as the Courtney lookalike dragged her away before she could have possibly protested, Elyon was the first to speak a few moments later, a deep rouge flooding her cheeks.

"I-I'm . . . _really_ sorry about all that, Will. Courtney and Bess Grumper sort of . . . have it out for Cornelia – Well, for _me_ , because the three of them used to be friends before Cornelia came to the institute and . . . met me," she weakly explained within apology, smiling faintly as Will began to nod slowly, clearly not at all yet understanding what had just transpired.

"W-Wait, so . . . that girl, Courtney, is a . . . _mutant_ , l-like us and . . . can make exact copies of herself, then? And she apparently named one of them 'Bess?'" she whispered her query as she moved in closer to her new housemates.

Cornelia couldn't help but lightly smirk at this, actually beginning to feel a bit better about at least the previous encounter, if not the overall incident of having caused a temblor at their school.

"Pfft. No, Will. Bess _isn't_ Courtney's clone, she's her _twin sister_ . . . although honestly, sometimes it can be pretty difficult to tell, the way _both_ are pretty rotten to the core, just like Courtney's actual copies," she revealed with a disapproving shake of her head. "And to think I used to be pretty tight with the two of them once upon a time – Well, more so _Courtney_ than Bess, but whatever."

At this, Will gave a mere shrug, before surprisingly managing to flash the other girl a sympathetic smile.

". . . . Well, hey. Everyone makes mistakes, I guess," she joked feebly, her apparently ongoing streak of wishing to make an effort to remain more open (if only for the time being) seeming to continue, much to Elyon's observant delight, especially. "It just sucks that they both have to be fellow redheads like me, though. We're not _all_ hard to approach, after all. . . . Well, _some_ of us, but not all."

Having not really gotten the chance to fully socialize with the new girl - At least, not as much as Elyon had gotten to by comparison, Cornelia was admittedly at a loss for words for a few moments, before then making the connection that Will wasn't being serious . . . she didn't think, anyway.

Nonetheless, Cornelia welcomed the honest distraction from the two redheads she really _couldn't_ stomach, by one she felt that she most probably would be able to, and smiled back.

"Yeah, sure. Just make sure you're careful around those two, in all seriousness, Will. As you could probably tell, the Grumper Sisters have _no_ qualms about freely using their abilities, generally whenever the mood strikes – Which _usually_ involves a lot of scrambling to try to downplay it, if and when any of us from the mansion might be around to see it happen," she warned quietly, her perfectly groomed eyebrows stitching themselves together into a light frown. "And given that neither is apparently aware that _you_ now go there – _And_ that you're also a mutant to begin with, it's best that you take extra care. You know, given that that lack of insight didn't seem to stop Courtney from running her _mouth_ earlier about her abilities . . . or _me_ , actually, sorry. Suffice it to say, they can be pretty crafty, _and_ manipulative when they want to be, _trust_ me. . . ."

Will could only nod slowly once more within loosely sewn together comprehension at this, although her current physical stance told Cornelia that the Electrokinetic student clearly wished to take no part within the unfortunate, and ongoing feud between the Grumpers, poor Elyon, and herself.

Although, truth be told, she couldn't readily say that she could blame her.

Apparently sensing the desperate need to change subjects, Elyon promptly chimed in as she pleasantly asked, "So! How was your first day, anyway, Will? Well, what you'd gotten to experience, anyway, before . . . yeah. _S-Sorry_ , Cornelia."

Will slowly raised an eyebrow at the curious apology, clearly not yet aware that the day's events had been Cornelia's direct doing, as the other two girls lightly blushed within embarrassment, although each for different reasons.

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah, um . . . it honestly wasn't so bad, thanks, Elyon. I mean, not as bad as I kept thinking it was going to be, at least, even _with_ my last first day at a new school five years ago being _incredibly_ nightmarish to compare it to," she replied with a faint smile, nervously absentmindedly readjusting the straps to her fuchsia colored backpack as she continued. "I think, mainly though, it was probably a mixture of still being . . . _you_ know. Unable to use my powers because of what had happened to me the other day, and . . . our talk, Elyon. Thanks, _again_ , for that, by the way . . . o-oh! And thank _you_ , Cornelia, seriously, for . . . 'patching me up,' as well. I'd been wanting to say so for the longest, but just had never gotten the chance to see you again until now. . . ."

It was now Elyon's turn to grow incredibly bashful as she returned the smile, although it quickly grew into one of reputable satisfaction regarding her best friend's newfound healing capabilities.

"You're really welcome – _Again_ , Will, really. And see, Cornelia? Just because you might have messed up with one of your powers, it doesn't negate what you'd done with your _other_ , _and_ for the benefit of someone else," she reassured once more, playfully nudging Cornelia's shoulder with her own, as both blondes just then caught the familiar sight of one of the white colored, and rather large shuttle buses the institute would employ in order to drop off and pick up its non-licensed students from _Bayville High School_.

Cornelia let out a slow, defeated exhale, rather than take heart within her closest friend's kind words as she began to lead the way toward the trio's ride home, _and_ her personal reckoning.

"Maybe, Ellie. But that was this past weekend. This is _today_. And today, _one_ way or another, I'm definitely screwed. . . ."

* * *

"You can't be serious! Professor Kandrakar, have mercy, please! I didn't even _do_ anything this time, either!" Irma pleaded fruitlessly, knowing fully well that, generally speaking, once the benevolent headmaster made up his mind about something, that was it.

Still, as wise and pretty in the know as he was, thanks to his handy-dandy Telepathic abilities, Irma couldn't help but feel that there was a _grave_ miscalculation made somewhere along the path to come up with the perfect punishment for Cornelia's _rock-n-roll_ incident earlier that morning.

Especially since, again, _she_ was actually innocent for once!

"True, Irma. You _are_ technically blameless, and have abided by my personal request to cease within trying to be Miss Cook's . . . _active_ mentor, as it were, regarding her budding mutant abilities," Professor Kandrakar replied with a light nod and frown, his hands neatly folded atop his well organized desk as he continued to lecture both the Hydrokinetic and Geokinetic students within unison inside of his private office. "However, the fact still remains that the mere _mention_ of Taranee's apparent shine to you managed to elicit such strong emotion within Cornelia, resulting within the unfortunate quake at your school. . . ."

". . . . And I've already apologized for that, Professor. I really _am_ terribly, _terribly_ sorry about what I'd done, no matter _how_ brief," Cornelia dutifully atoned for the third time during that meeting, sincerely feeling more and more mournful than every bit as outraged as _Irma_ clearly was for the set punishment the older man had handed down to the both of them moments before.

Effortlessly sensing the usually confident girl's honest depression, and how it threatened to overwhelm her, Professor Kandrakar couldn't help but smile within sympathy . . . to both his students, before rising from his seat.

"I know, Cornelia, and I understand. . . . I _also_ understand that you two have never been fully able to get along with one another - At least no more than a few moments or so, in spite of the past two years of living underneath the same roof, and attending a few of the same classes at both schools. And so, it is my firm belief that what you girls need is a change of perspective, which is _precisely_ what living together as roommates should provide. . . ."

Irma was trying, _really_ trying her absolute best to remain within the man's – The _faculty's_ overall good side, so that she wouldn't end up screwing up her chances at going to Karmilla's concert come Friday night.

She _really_ was.

But the fact that not only was she now being forced to sleep within the same room as a girl who would probably sooner let her _drown_ than ever become her best pal (although, doing so would obviously be quite the chore), rather than continuing to do so with her _actual_ close friend of the last couple of years was truly getting to her!

And _all_ of this when, for the umpteenth time, it wasn't even her _fault!_

Knowing nothing else she could have possibly said would have swayed his powerful mind one way or the other, Irma bitterly remained silent as Professor Kandrakar pressed on.

"I know that, obviously, this decision may seem to be tremendously unfair to the both of you, as I imagine curfew tonight will undoubtedly be the very last thing on your minds. Still, given the circumstances, and that thankfully no one at Bayville was hurt, nor were you _exposed_ , Cornelia, this truly is the best solution," he stated with a light smile, before slowly placing his right hand into the deep pockets of one of his usual suits. "One way or another, however, this peculiar rivalry you two possess _shall_ end, or else you'll punish yourselves far greater than I _ever_ could. . . . Now, then! You are dismissed, ladies – To your _new_ dorm room, Cornelia, as I've already taken the liberty of having your belongings relocated into Irma's, and Miss Lin's into Elyon's!"

". . . . Yes, Professor," both Cornelia and Irma responded automatically, although neither girl was internally anywhere near ready to feel immediately copacetic to their newfound situation.

As the new roommates exited their headmaster's office together, that was abruptly where their infrequent unity ceased, as Irma swiftly began stomping across the partially occupied foyer, and up the grand, main staircase.

"I can't freaking believe this. . . . _Two_ years spent with an _awesome_ roomie wiped away within seconds, all thanks to a trigger-happy _perfectionist_ ," her muttered bitterly to herself as she continued her ascent, effortlessly clearing a path as she did so, as oncoming and fellow students smartly dodged her ongoing warpath.

Finally snapping out of her previously morose haze, Cornelia, although still feeling rather downtrodden for this morning's actions, ironically did not have it within her to let her new roommate's honestly roaring comments slide within that moment, and immediately began closing the distance between them in order to properly respond.

" _E-Excuse_ me? It isn't as though I _wanted_ this to happen, _either_ , you know! In fact, none of it would have, had you had _just_ listened to The Professor in the first place when he'd initially asked you to back off Taranee!" she called out from behind the swiftly retreating girl, who unintentionally was leading the way to Cornelia's new place of stay, as the blonde honestly had never before known Irma's dorm room number, nor naturally had cared to.

Irma whirled around at this, her turquoise colored eyes reflecting _fire_ while nonetheless consciously doing her best to remain as collected as possible, as not only did she not wish to accidentally _flood_ the halls, there was absolutely _no_ way Cornelia was going to ruin her chances at going to that rock concert.

"Oh, so I'm just supposed to stay away from her, altogether, is that it? It never occurred to you that I could just honestly dig the chick within a _general_ sense, and that she and I were simply getting _along?_ You know, like how you and I _never_ seem to?" she hissed as Cornelia glared back at her, her current posture an obvious indication of her refusal to back down, although the brunette girl's words now effortlessly struck a chord.

"I-I – ! _Y-You – !_ " Cornelia regrettably stammered as she fruitlessly pointed an accusatory finger within Irma's direction, who was already retreating into the now opened doorway to her, _their_ dorm room.

"Right. _Wonderful_ comeback, as always," she grumbled as she walked into the mildly disorganized room, and headed straight to what Cornelia could only assume to be the other girl's bed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna change into my swimsuit and head to the pool for a _much_ needed swim, before my head _explodes_ . . . or, do you also want to claim partial custody of the only haven I now have _left?_ "

Cornelia promptly slapped a hand to her face before slowly dragging it down within dramatic effect, literally biting down onto her tongue in order to suppress her lingering vexation.

What she _really_ wanted to do at the moment was take a long, stress free nap in order to hopefully reset herself from what had honestly become an incredibly _disastrous_ day . . . and it wasn't even _noon_ yet.

However, now that doing so meant that it would be with the _terribly_ maddening Hydrokinetic mutant occupying the same space, Cornelia would simply have to figure out another way to relieve her own tension.

". . . . _Fine_. Clearly, I'm not wanted here. You have fun with your little swim. I'm going . . . I'm just _going_ ," she stated, strongly at first and with the usual scowl specially reserved for Irma, before immediately losing steam, as she was just too tired of bumping heads with practically _everyone_ today.

Ignoring any possible attempt of a retort, although Cornelia could plainly see that Irma was not about to do any such thing, she vacated her newest bedchambers without another word, and sharply closed the door behind her.

She'd only taken just a few short steps back down the dimly lit hall of the East Wing before stopping, her legs suddenly unable to sustain her own weight as she slowly sank down onto the marble covered floor.

Cornelia couldn't help but give profound thanks that there was presently no one else within the hallway, as she uncontrollably allowed her well maintained demeanor of self-control to crumble and she began to softly sob within misery, gently cupping a hand over her mouth in order to keep her breakdown as private as possible.

What was the _matter_ with her?

She kept telling herself that she _wasn't_ the way she was before, the way she'd been when she'd first arrived to the institute.

 _Elyon_ kept telling her so, as well.

And in her heart, somehow, she was still sure of this.

But how was it that, in spite of no longer believing herself to be better than _non_ -mutants, she still appeared to believe that she at least was concerning those who _were?_

Had Cornelia really not become as humbled and enlightened as she thought she had, after all?

Had her ongoing journey to become the most within control, and as strong as she could be where her powers were concerned blinded her to what truly mattered?

That deep, natural connection shared between both mutants _and_ non-mutants, alike, through which _true_ power could be achieved?

How could she _not_ have remembered this, the way Elyon, even _with_ all her seemingly infinite abilities, did? The way _Irma_ apparently seemed to, if she had been able to make such progress with Taranee, already, as the Thermokinetic teenager had been quite the nervous _wreck_ when she'd first arrived at the institute.

Cornelia had truly believed that perhaps everything had clicked for her earlier that morning and the real reason why she should have helped guide Taranee along . . . but if just knowing that someone else, and not simply because it had been Irma, was so called moving in upon her 'territory' was enough to cause an actual _earthquake_ of all things, then maybe she really _hadn't_ gotten the message at all. . . .

 _. . . . Why . . . Why was I even chosen to be a Junior Professor alongside Elyon, then? How could anyone have thought that I was ready to teach anyone what it means to be gifted . . . when it turns out I'm no longer sure of that, myself?_ Cornelia thought woefully as she continued to weep freely and remained curled up upon the floor, her head bowed and appearance now uncharacteristically disheveled, as it honestly no longer mattered who might have happened upon her.

Luckily, or perhaps unluckily for her, someone did, as a now bathing suit clad Irma quietly opened the door to the girls' newly shared dormitory moments later.

Although she had managed to calm herself down while getting changed, she was still feeling rather miffed over the loss of her original roommate in _general,_ more so than now being forced to have _Cornelia_ as one, and was honestly looking forward to letting herself sink _straight_ to the bottom of that massive, yet eternally inviting swimming pool and just let its waters literally wash away her emotional ails.

However, fate evidently had other plans in store for her, as both her eyes and her ears caught immediate wind of what appeared to be the Geokinetic teenager in question curiously collapsed onto the ground and . . . _crying?_

Was Cornelia Hale actually _crying?_

Even if it had been her mortal enemy (of which, she thankfully did not possess), Irma didn't think she could have brought herself to outright ignore them.

Maybe.

And as very, very, _very_ annoying and _energy_ depleting as Cornelia truly could be, she was also _family_ . . . at least, that's what all their professors always referred to _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters'_ student body as upon enrolling.

Although, given their ongoing saga, Irma would definitely qualify Cornelia more so as her _extended_ family, at best, like a distant relative rarely seen, except for a few holidays sprinkled in here and there.

 _Regardless_ , now knowing fully well what she had to do, Irma glowered deeply as she braced herself for what was honestly about to become one of the most peculiar happenings within Bayville's history.

And _she_ wasn't even the one to create a sudden _earthquake_ , of all things, either, after all. . . .

**\- End of Chapter Four (Part Two)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was going to include a lottttt more of a few of the story's antagonists, and to simply go from there in general - Hence my splintering the chapter at all. However, I'd decidedly ended up pushing that/them to the next chapter, and simply reworking a few things, as I didn't really feel it'd fit with the whole natural focus of Cornelia's earthquake and its continued aftermath.
> 
> And thus, instead, we got a bit more Irma/Cornelia banter, with Cornelia's inevitable falling apart, yay! :p Seeing as I'm trying to make Cornelia kinda 'my' Scott to Elyon's Jean in this story like I'd said once before, I'm also trying to breathe bits of him - At least his "Evolution" version into it - all while meshing both Cornelia's comic and cartoonverse together . . . yeah. LoL SO far, it's not too too bad, given she and Scott ARE rather serious and responsible, and I can imagine if Cornelia truly were a mutant within that universe, she'd be right there with him with trying to have her powers super under control and not falter, blah blah, while also sometimes forgetting what really matters at the end of the day. =)
> 
> No worries, because at least Irma's now on the case. LoL
> 
> People really need to start giving HER a bit more credit where its due, huh? Maybe The Prof should've promoted IRMA to 'Junior Professor,' instead, after all, eh? :p
> 
> Anyway! So there's Chapter Four down, regardless, with me being able to at least 'sprinkle in' the Grumper Twins/Sisters, a couple of our story's nuisances. Also used their cartoonverse appearances, as I usually do when/if I feature them within any of my stories, as well, yeah.
> 
> I know I didn't really get to get into it, as I said, but yep, they're both mutants, nope, they don't go to the institute, and yes, I will obviously showcase what Bess's abilities are, since I only got to briefly mention Courtney's. =)
> 
> What else, what else . . . oh, yes! Petra and Amara. I know that Petra had passed on within the comics and was from New Jersey, I believe, but since it was just a quick mention, I'd changed her status to alive, and that she'd moved back to Denmark, where the rest of her family was born. Oh, and that THEY'RE also still alive, obviously. LoL
> 
> And as for Amara, as of now I don't believe I may mention her again, although you never know, yeah? But if I do, know that I'll be referring to "Evolution" Amara, and that while this version's also a 'new recruit' like she'd been at the start of Season Two, she's a bit younger. Hence the still in middle school reference by Cornelia.
> 
> Uhhhh . . . can't remember anything else I might've wished to discuss in here, because I've been wayyyy too sleep deprived the last few days, and am a bit loopy as a result, as well. :( LoL
> 
> Whatever I might've forgotten, I'm sure I'll remember after I post this, as usual, and talk about it within my next 'A.N.!'
> 
> 'Till then, hope that you enjoyed, reviewed, and maybe have even bought me a 'coffee,' after all! And if so, THANK you very, very much! Mwa! =)


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -  
> This chapter was written/created in August 2018.  
> -

". . . . Stupid question and all, but . . . are you all right?" Cornelia suddenly heard Irma's unexpected, and personally uncharacteristically concerned voice sound next to her within the midst of her previously private breakdown.

If she had had enough energy to do so, Cornelia would have promptly gathered her wits about her, replace her usual mask of control before then most likely saying something rather dismissive toward the usually goofy housemate; however, given how incredibly trying this Monday morning was already shaping up to be, Irma's company was almost a Godsend.

Almost.

Nonetheless, Cornelia remained uncommonly silent, save her now quieting sobs as she slightly turned her back toward the awkward, yet patiently standing Irma, who was now pondering how next to handle the quite unfamiliar territory.

Pausing a moment, she exhaled gently as she suggested, "Well . . . while I can be as open as the next person, methinks I'd still prefer a _bit_ of privacy during a crying fest, so . . . why don't we at least head back to the room if you don't want to talk?"

It was surprisingly a lot easier than Irma initially thought it might have been to wrangle her new roommate back into their dormitory, as it had taken Cornelia only a brief moment to seemingly think over her options before shakily rising to her feet and followed the brunette inside, almost within a zombified sort of manner.

Irma could only watch with mounting uncertainty as the traditionally confident teenager tiredly settled down onto the edge of the only still made up bed within the room, as Irma's school bag and picked out clothing for that morning were still splayed out onto the other next to it.

Wondering for a few moments whether or not she should leave the visibly shaken girl alone, after all, or at the very least, do so within search of _Elyon_ in order to replace her admittedly weakened efforts of consoling, Irma felt surprised when she suddenly heard Cornelia speak at the same time the door to their dorm room was quietly sealed.

". . . . I-I . . . I bet you didn't . . . didn't expect _this_ when you got up this morning, did you?" she actually managed to jest in between light sniffling, her face still quite reddened and puffy, although the crying had thankfully appeared to have ceased.

Irma could only blink at this a moment, once again feeling quite at a loss for words and personal experience on how next to respond.

Had it been _Hay Lin_ to be within dire need of a pep talk, Irma would have honestly had the generally content girl back on her feet within no time, much as she usually had during their two year friendship.

But because this was _Cornelia_ . . . it was honestly as though Irma was currently grappling with a particularly tricky Danger Room training session, or something just as intense.

Still, she'd made a point to let herself be known to the emotionally wounded girl in the first place, and judging by her last, honestly unrestricted comment, Cornelia was clearly feeling rather vulnerable and _willing_ to listen to whatever it was Irma might say.

And so, she did.

". . . . No. No, I really didn't. But then, I _also_ never expected within a million years that my toothbrush would now be hanging right next to _yours_ from now on, either," Irma replied, hesitantly at first, before managing a light smile as she risked throwing in her patented humor into the mix for good measure. Seeing that doing so didn't turn off the otherwise serious girl as it usually would (at least, not yet), Irma continued. "But, about that . . . look. I'm . . . _sorry_ if my reaction earlier upset you so much that it . . . made you cry, Cornelia. Really. I was just . . . I _am_ still pretty bummed, myself, that I don't get to bunk with Hay Lin, anymore, that's all – And I'm sure you feel the same way about Elyon. It wouldn't really have mattered _whom_ The Prof shackled me to – N-No offense."

As Irma finally found her footing once more and moved toward the open box of tissues resting upon the polished and pristine dresser near their now shared bathroom door, Cornelia shook her head within initial response and frowned within reflection.

"P-Please. . . . We both know the fact that it ended up being _me_ , 'of all people,' is just the icing on the cake, Irma . . . although I guess I can't really say I blame how you feel. Like you said to me earlier: You and I never could really get along," she remarked hollowly as the last of her sniffling died away and she was finally able to lock eyes with the other girl as she approached the bed. "Not at school, not around here at the institute . . . and _especially_ not during our shared training sessions. It's a wonder that you and I weren't put together like this _ages_ ago, really. . . ."

Fighting the awkward discomfort which threatened to return, especially now that Irma apparently _completely_ held Cornelia's now undivided attention, she instead chose to fall back onto her humor a bit more, in spite of the severity of the situation, as she lightly waved a hand within dismissal.

"Nah. I think that if that had happened, you and I probably would have brought the mansion down to its _knees_ during the inevitable all out mutant-versus-mutant brawl we were _clearly_ headed toward," she smirked as she carefully extended the box of tissues toward the other girl as she sat down on the bed.

Cornelia didn't seem to mind the jape, however, as her blue eyes curiously became a bit glazed over and faraway, as though within deep thought.

"'Mutant versus mutant. . . .' You know, this whole time I've been here at the institute, I've been trying my _best_ to . . . well, _be_ the best. That is, the best example of what _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ and its teachings is capable of, so that those currently enrolled and those yet to do so could have something to aspire to, you know?" she revealed within a morose tone, sighing heavily as she slowly pulled a tissue from out of the box now set upon her lap. "But really, I was just trading in one ideology for another, and I never even realized it until now . . . until today, thanks to _you_ , Irma. . . ."

Irma's eyes slightly widened within understandable surprise at this, her previous desire to infuse drollery into the situation in order to make it far less uncomfortable immediately vanishing, as her natural curiosity was now piqued.

" _M-Me?_ What for? I-I mean, since _when_ , sorry, given you've _never_ thanked me for anything before. At least, not sarcastically, anyways," she stated within a matter-of-fact, albeit well meaning tone, which thankfully was not met with offense by the blonde sat at her side.

In fact, Irma's uncharacteristically taken aback reaction actually managed to make Cornelia _smile_ as she nodded within initial response, which only furthered the brunette's utter befuddlement.

"Yeah, well . . . there _is_ that," Cornelia began with another smile, although this one was far more timid than the last, "but I suppose there are firsts for everything. . . . I'm starting to think that, maybe one of the reasons why we – Why _I've_ always had such issue with you is because of the stark differences between us. That is, as students. As _mutants_. I've . . . I've only ever really opened up about this to Elyon, all right, but . . . my home life, my _family_ , are all about _results_. All about the bottom line, you know? I guess it probably doesn't help that my dad's an investment banker, and my mom's a Personal Injury attorney, on top of being . . . well, pretty _elitist_ mutants, I guess. And when one of your parents has the ability to mimic anything she sees with instant, _expert_ precision, it kind of puts one at a natural disadvantage, and honestly _warps_ their overall outlook upon life. . . ."

The gears within Irma's mind began to turn as the grand picture suddenly slowly pieced themselves together, and she nodded deeply within reflection.

". . . . Oh, wow. Y-Yeah . . . I guess it kinda now makes sense why you've always walked around campus like some sort of know-it-all _princess_ , huh? I . . . I honestly never did know that you had pre-existing 'motivation' from your folks," she stated thoughtfully with another incline of her head, as Cornelia simply followed suit.

"Yes, Irma . . . I _guess_. . . . Although, really, I was honestly _a lot_ worse when I first enrolled, obviously before you had and had been able to see me 'in action.' Before I'd properly settled into the professors' teachings, and before I'd met and gotten to know Elyon, I still had the mindset that my parents do: That we mutants are 'The Superior Race,' as they'd always say," she carefully revealed, looking away within obvious shame and renewed bother, before willing herself to continue. "But . . . after I'd learned that that is _far_ from true, and that both mutants _and_ non-mutants are and should always be equal, I . . . I see now that maybe I still held onto a bit of my _family's_ lessons, at least in that I might be better than even my fellow mutants. . . . I think that's the _real_ reason I've been trying so hard to master my Geokinetic abilities, _and_ set a good example for the other students. For _you_. It really wasn't so that I could be best person I can be for myself, as The Professor's always taught us, and like I'd always believed . . . but so that I could be the best person within the eyes of my _parents_. . . ."

As Irma watched as Cornelia was clearly fighting back the urge to cry once more, she did so with far more sympathy and attentiveness than she ever thought she could have shared for the girl who was usually rather difficult to be around, and she honestly felt bad when she realized she had nothing to really say to the blatantly emotional confession within response.

A stringent home life was one she'd heard before about from the other students over the years, even hearing about how more than just a few of their own families also fell into the category of mutant superiority as Cornelia's.

However, although she wasn't without her own hardships, Irma supposed she was lucky, as her own family was the complete _opposite_ . . . as far as she'd always been aware, at least.

Perhaps it helped that her father didn't possess any mutant abilities, being 'normal,' as it were, which helped grant Irma a broader perspective by default . . . especially given his knack, even as a seasoned police officer, for believing within second chances, and of the core decency within everyone.

And because of his moral guidance, including what she could recall from her dearly departed mother, there was no simply black and white for Irma. There was _always_ a gray area, a hidden pocket, or kernel of truth and clarity yet to be detected within every situation, which was quite honestly probably one of the reasons both she and Hay Lin were such close friends, as the jolly teenager – Indeed, her _grandmother_ , also believed within the very same.

Nevertheless, seeing that the atypically open girl hadn't any intention to speak again, at least not for now, Irma willed _herself_ to do so, instead, as she continually struggled to find the right words to say.

". . . . I-I'm, um . . . I'm honestly not one to really judge, Cornelia . . . well, _usually_ , anyway. But seeing as I obviously don't know your 'rents – _Or_ you, frankly, I'm not gonna say anything, this way _or_ that, about them," she gingerly clarified, lightly beginning to drag her palms back and forth across her bare legs, as they then began to feel rather clammy. "Everyone has their reasons, right? S-Still . . . now that I think about it some more, _and_ what you're telling me, I guess it kinda makes even _more_ sense that . . . well, you don't really seem to have a lot of companions. At least, not around _here_ , anyway, or anyone you might be as close to as Elyon, right? What . . . What makes _her_ so special, if you don't mind me asking? If anything, given when you'd just told me, I'd think someone of _her_ uber-mutant potential would be 'Public Enemy Number One' for you."

"Y-Yeah . . . you'd think," Cornelia surprisingly concurred with a weak smile, although it began to strengthen as her entire facial expression bloomed into one blatant tenderness toward the girl in question.

Because this was honestly the very first time the two had ever uttered more than just a few sentences toward one another, Irma had understandably never before seen this specific reaction from Cornelia before, especially not regarding the generally kindhearted and milquetoast girl.

Well, no.

If Irma willed herself to do so, she could quite possibly recall at least a _few_ times she had randomly caught Cornelia having a similar demeanor whenever Elyon was around in the past, although she naturally didn't really think much of it.

Of _Cornelia_.

Now that the cards were all on the table and she was actively doing so, however, it _did_ make Irma wonder a bit.

That is, while she, herself, would naturally light up whenever _Hay Lin_ would enter a room, knowing that their encounter would be mutually enjoyable as per usual, it certainly wasn't the same as what she would witness from Cornelia toward Elyon.

But then, maybe it was just yet another difference between the two of them, that's all, the way each girl regarded her best friend, respectively.

Still . . . if Irma didn't know any better and, had she given enough care prior to now, she might have been a bit inclined to believe that perhaps there really _was_ more to Cornelia's feelings for Elyon than meets the eye. . . .

Perhaps.

And perhaps, one day, Irma might feel invasive enough to even _ask_ her new roommate outright; however, mild speculation aside, she wasn't stupid enough to push anything further with Cornelia, especially given her ongoing candor and vulnerability.

So instead, she simply listened.

"Y-Yeah, I don't . . . I don't know, Irma. I mean, you're right: When I first met Elyon, 'met' her _powers_ , I really _did_ immediately fly straight into competitive mode, you know? Especially the fact that _such_ power was tied to someone so . . . so -"

"- _Non_ -Cornelia like? Well, fine. We'll say, ' _Old School_ Cornelia-like,' to be fair on you and your continued growth," Irma took a chance to inject a bit of wittiness once more into the otherwise heavy topic, the smirk upon her face widening within relief as she saw that Cornelia yet again preferred to let it slide and smiled with her.

"'O-Old School Cornelia?' Hmm . . . I suppose that's one way of referring to my honestly bratty younger self, sure, Irma," Cornelia stated within surprising agreement and a nod, setting the box of tissues down onto the bed. "But, yeah. I was this hotshot rich girl from a 'superior family,' eager to show off my budding abilities to anyone who even gave me a _glance._ And then, here was _Elyon_ . . . just an honestly down-to-earth . . . orphan with more gifts than she knew what to _do_ with – And counting, most probably – and only wished to hide them away at the time. To hide _herself_ away. A-And, I don't know . . . I guess all of that . . . all of _her_ just really intrigued me. Still does. . . ."

Irma couldn't help but smile warmly at the confession, feeling as though she were now listening to one of Hay Lin's many insightful heart to hearts about their day to day, instead of from one she'd previously believed to be an _android_ of some kind, if she was honest.

 _Mostly_.

But it truly _did_ make Irma feel a backwards sort of sense of _honor_ , almost, to have been in the wrong place at the right time, and continually listen to her (possibly former?) 'Frienemy' open her heart up to her like this.

"And I guess Elyon might have felt the same way about me or something, because the next thing we both know, I'm actually talking to her like a _person,_ instead of some sort of servant girl like I used to. Meanwhile, her confidence is growing bit by bit as I see her managing to hold her own against my . . . at times _abrasive_ disposition, yes," Cornelia continued right along within her tale without missing a beat, looking down at her now clasped hands with a faraway smile and face settling back into the curious expression Irma had witnessed moments before, upon the initial mention of Elyon's name. "We just . . . just ended up challenging one another within completely different ways than I'd originally thought when we first met, that's all. She's honestly the first one, even _before_ The Professor, especially, to get me to _finally_ open my eyes and break free of my family's . . . _brainwashing_ , I suppose, I don't know. With . . . Without Elyon, I don't honestly believe I'd even give this school a chance – This new _life_ a chance. . . ."

Irma felt her _own_ cheeks becoming a bit flush as she then watched Cornelia's do the same, as everything suddenly fell into place.

Cornelia was in love with Elyon.

There was absolutely _no_ denying it now, especially not after having listened to every last word coupled with the honest look of adoration which was continually etched effortlessly upon the blonde's face.

 _That_ was it!

 _That's_ what that 'curious' look had been, all along.

How someone as usually pretty intuitive as Irma could not have guessed that _ages_ ago, even if the subject had been Cornelia, she didn't know.

Her mind was now completely _racing_ , filled with questions she wasn't even going to attempt to ask out of her newfound respect for the Geokinetic girl, such as: Did Elyon know?

Did Elyon feel the _same?_

And if she did at least know, had Cornelia told her so outright, or did Elyon's Telepathic abilities take the helm on that one?

After all, she _did_ confess in the past that sometimes she didn't have as tight a handle on her mind reading abilities as she would have liked, especially during times of stress.

It was honestly a wonder to Irma how Cornelia had managed to stay within such close proximity as having been roommates with the girl in all that time up until now, if she really _was_ keeping her feelings a secret.

Although, to be fair, it was frankly a wonder to Irma how _any_ of her housemates could remain mum about any sort of romantic feelings they might possess for another individual as, try as she might, _she'd_ usually _crack_ despite her habitual reminding to play it cool before going right ahead and making the first move toward whichever guy she happened to like at the time.

Needless to say, not a lot of them usually took kindly to 'such a bold gesture,' preferring to remain old fashioned in that way, apparently, and thus missing out on what Irma personally felt to be a wasted opportunity of becoming her would-be boyfriend.

Still, she'd much rather take that chance and get it over with all the same, than walk around like a shaken up can of soda ready to _burst_ at any moment, and all because she never told the person she cared for that she did in the first place.

". . . . Must be rough," Irma couldn't help but let slip out within continued thought, her face growing even more hot as she watched Cornelia suddenly gaze at her with understandable confusion.

"H-Huh? What is?" she asked with a slowly raised eyebrow, as her previously love struck facial expression began to melt away.

Always one to be generally quick on her feet, however, Irma merely shook her head with a faint smile as she said, "No, nothing. Well, _everything_ , actually. You know, everything you just shared with me. . . . Thank _you_ , by the way, for doing so. Bet it . . . it must be like a weight _completely_ lifted off your shoulders to finally get it out like that – _And_ to your least favorite person within the entire institute."

Cornelia let out a slight chuckle at this, seemingly buying into Irma's given explanation before slowly rising from the bed with the box of tissues back in hand.

"You _do_ realize that there are currently one hundred sixty-six students enrolled here, right? Despite how much you and I really _have_ had our . . . 'oil and water' encounters the last two years, don't think you're _special_ enough to me to be considered my 'least favorite person within the entire institute' Irma,'" she remarked with a put on scoff and roll of her eyes for good measure as she walked toward the dresser and replaced the tissues back onto it, clearly beginning to feel a bit better once more.

Noting this and not wishing to make a big deal out of it, Irma followed suit as she waved a hand within dismissal as she had during the start of their conversation, before leaning back upon what was now to be Cornelia's bed from then on.

"Maybe so, but we both know that _no_ one else can get underneath your skin the way that _I_ can, Cornikins," Irma shot back with a smirk, feeling it grow as she momentarily reflected how that usually _correct_ assertion no longer was to her, not now that she was pretty confident of Cornelia's feelings toward Elyon. "All that aside, though, there's still one very important thing I gotta know. . . ."

Cornelia's forehead lightly wrinkled as she raised both eyebrows within honest curiosity, turning back around to face the now curiously serious looking brunette.

". . . . _O-Okaaay._ And what would that be?" she asked, her emotions now more or less back in check, although a part of her did briefly wonder if Irma wasn't about to pull the two of them back into the overall discussion both had apparently made an unspoken agreement to close the book on.

At least, for now.

"Do you _snore?_ I'm sorry, but that's a deal breaker for me, as I absolutely _need_ my eight hours – _Ten_ , if I'm lucky enough to get all my responsibilities out of the way during the weekends and Hay Lin gets up before me. As much as I _love_ the girl and having been her roommate, her snoring absolutely drove me _insane!_ So, you know, good luck to Elyon on _that_ note," Irma revealed within typical Irma fashion, a renewed grin painting itself back onto her face at the same time that Cornelia let out a deeply frustrated groan upon being reminded that the pair would now be living together from now on.

"Oh, my _Goddd_. Help me," she grumbled dramatically, promptly rubbing at her temples within mildly put on frustration as she watched a now giggling Irma hop off of her new bed and exited the dormitory without another word.

Staring at the now sealed door a few moments, Cornelia couldn't help but slowly smile.

She still wasn't anywhere _near_ confident that the two of them would be able to survive one _evening_ together, let alone their mutual remaining enrollment at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_.

And she was pretty certain Irma felt precisely the same way.

Still, all things considered . . . perhaps Cornelia could have done far worse than now having Irma Lair as her bunk mate.

Perhaps.

* * *

"Okay . . . here it is, I think. Room One-Eighteen," Will murmured to herself upon stopping short in front of the sealed, beige colored classroom door about an hour or so after having arrived back to her new home early, and rather unexpectedly.

It was still a rather frightening thought to have realized that the City of Bayville was apparently prone to such natural disasters as _earthquakes_ , and the redhead hadn't been anywhere close to prepared for feeling one during the start of her third period AP Biology class , especially given that she'd never before experienced one.

Back home in Maine, the most consistent sort of weather both she and her mother have had to deal with ever since moving there had been torrential rainfall, having lived so near the coastline, and all.

And while she was still rather sorrowful for having to leave her home behind, there was at least a bit more variety in terms of weather for Will to look forward to, so to speak, now that she was living within Upstate New York.

She simply didn't expect that she'd have to drop to her knees and pray to the Heavens that she wouldn't suddenly be _buried alive_ as a result of this morning's tremor, that's all.

Will honestly thought that a lot more of her peers would have been right there with her in terms of the understandable freak out, and at first, quite a fair number appeared to be – At least, more so the student body back at _Bayville High School_ , anyway.

Because after she'd gotten off of the shuttle bus with Elyon, Cornelia, and a whole bunch of other fellow housemates from the institute she was not yet acquainted with, a lot of _them_ seemed to be much, _much_ more . . . _relieved_ , almost _accustomed_ to the earlier events.

And the longer she was settled back onto the private campus and had allowed herself a bit more time to further explore the expansive mansion, the faster it was beginning to dawn on her that perhaps that earthquake really _hadn't_ been so 'natural,' after all.

" _I'm telling you! There is no way that that 'earthquake' was a normal one! The amount of times we've been through moments like that during training sessions, and just living here in general? Please! It was probably Gaveedra using his 'Force of Will' ability he calls it by accident, or something,"_ Will had managed to eavesdrop upon a pair of male students voicing their opinions upon the related event while sat, huddled together at a random table of many within the institute's first floor Study Hall earlier that morning.

" _Gaveedra? Nuh uh, dude! For one thing, he's an upperclassmen, and most of them aren't really prone to goofing off like, say, the younger students. And secondly, doesn't using that shock wave power kinda drain him, like, a lot? Plus, I think he said it usually involves the use of weapons, and I highly doubt he'd be able to get any through Bayville's security, man,"_ the unknown blonde had stated within rebuttal.

Will, who had been sitting by one of the room's many elongated windows by herself, suddenly found herself unable to focus upon the lesson plan the institute had provided to her upon enrollment, and had been attempting to study in order to prepare for her first class within its walls.

" _Hmm . . . yeah, maybe. So then, it was probably someone not from the institute. You know how a lot of us usually have to play 'babysitter' to some of the less disciplined, like that pick pocketing Tabitha. Too bad she decided to drop out of here, though – She's pretty easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean. Would've enjoyed continuing to share breakfast in the Student Dining Hall with her. . . ."_

While Will naturally hadn't the foggiest who either mentioned student was, she nonetheless had found herself becoming a bit more intrigued by the gossip which was being broadcast within an otherwise relatively quiet environment.

The earthquake had been caused by a _mutant?_

And here Will thought she was now being immersed within an atmosphere where all but perhaps ten percent of the students already enrolled had pretty much everything under control.

Certainly more so than herself, to say the least, anyway.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of both trepidation, as well as alleviation that she wasn't the _only_ one who'd allowed her mutant abilities to go haywire that week . . . although she did wonder what next was in store for her while living within _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_.

There didn't seem to be a dull moment to be had, and she was only three days in.

Taking a deep, lulling breath, Will carefully clasped the brass door handle before gently turning it to both open and enter the classroom door to her very first 'Mutant Class.'

Or, at least, that was what she was referring to it within her mind, anyway.

In truth, the _official_ name upon Will's class schedule was called ' _Elemental Manipulation 101_ ' which she supposed, given her apparent mutant abilities, was a correct class choice to be placed within.

However, given that she presently did not possess any powers at all, Will wondered what she could honestly learn, or what her new professor could honestly _teach_ if she didn't have any lightning to _somehow_ manage to summon all on her own for a change.

Will's admittedly tense mind instead then shifted onto the actual room she was in, momentarily pondering if she had entered the right one, as she had honestly been expecting a typical school setting when she'd walked in.

Instead, however, she appeared to be within what she vaguely assumed to be a parlor or sorts, the décor more or less mimicking that which Will had already seen thus far throughout the rest of the expansive mansion.

It honestly looked more like a room to be seen within a _museum_ than a classroom, with its fancy, royal blue and gold trimmed rug elegantly blanketing the middle of a polished, wooden floor, and matching thick draperies set over a trio of floor length windows which daintily leaked in a bit of that early afternoon's continual sunlight.

Will then slowly gazed up at the sparkling, miniature chandelier hanging directly above the circular and glass coffee table placed within the center of the room, and couldn't help but guess exactly how many times either fixture had to be _replaced_ , if any of the institute's previous students might have also lost control of their powers while being instructed around them.

As she made her way across the relatively large 'classroom' and headed toward one of the identical trinity of golden, and fancy looking sofas spread about the area, it was then that she finally noticed two things.

The first being that, although it was not a classroom within the traditional sense, the parlor room was still outfitted with a roll away whiteboard, which was strategically placed next to what Will assumed to be her professor's desk.

And then there was the second, 'should-have-already-been-obvious' fact that she was not alone.

Patiently sitting within one of the four wooden chairs placed directly in front of the desk in question was another female student – At least, Will believed she was a student, as the other girl looked to be around her own age.

Although not one to usually judge a book by its cover, Will could already get a strong sense that this particular girl was of the studious nature, what with her bright red school bag tucked protectively against the side of her chair, and a large notebook already opened neatly across her lap at the ready.

The girl must have really been lost within her notes, after all, as she too did not seem to be aware that she now had company, an observation Will admittedly found herself feeling a bit thankful of, as it provided her a few more moments to privately take her in.

That is, she didn't really want to spend her first official training session alongside someone who would only end up making her feel the way she had been from the moment her mutant abilities had first manifested, up until yesterday upon speaking with Elyon.

But then again, Professor Lin _had_ informed Will, she now remembered, that because she was a new student, a fair amount of her classes - At least those which considered honing in upon her Electrokinetic abilities - would be shared with some of the newer students, as well as those whom, for whatever reason, were struggling with their own abilities and thus, were not that far ahead of her.

She could only hope that _this_ girl wouldn't do _too_ much showing off or, more importantly, possessed any powers which were of the _dangerous_ variety, much like her own. . . .

Will nearly let out a curse as she felt herself accidentally bump her shin against the coffee table right as she was about to sit down onto one of the sofas undetected, and instead bit down onto her bottom lip in order to muffle a cry of pain.

She'd been so busy watching the unidentified student as she walked in that she hadn't been looking where she was going, which regrettably managed to break the other girl's previous concentration as she let out a startled yelp from where she sat.

" _A-Ahh!_ " she cried out, nearly jumping out of her seat and dropping her notebook onto the floor . . . at the same time that Will surprisingly witnessed the whole right side of it suddenly begin to go from pristine white to charred black. "O-Oh, no! My _notes!_ "

Will naturally couldn't help but feel her feet become rather cemented to the floor at the sight, it being only the third time she'd witnessed another student actively using their mutant abilities, after all.

It almost made her wish that this girl harnessed _air_ based powers like Hay Lin, or even those of the _watery_ variety like Irma, instead of . . . _whatever_ that was.

Almost.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you like that!" Will apologized profusely upon somehow finding her footing again and allowed them to carry her toward their professor's desk whom, for whatever reason, had yet to arrive. "I bumped my shin coming in and wasn't . . . wasn't watching where I was going. . . . _S-Sorry_ about your notebook!"

Will's cheeks became flushed as her mahogany colored eyes met with the similarly colored pair of the raven haired girl sat before her for the very first time, her natural shyness taking over once more.

Despite her property having been inadvertently destroyed by the redhead standing at her side, the other girl did not appear to be vexed within the slightest, as Will had honestly believed she might have been.

Instead, she appeared to look . . . _disappointed_ , although it didn't really seem naturally directed toward the loss of her notations.

"N-No . . . It's okay. I mean, I had most of what I'd written down memorized, anyway, but . . . I'm just mainly upset because I'd lost control, and over someone simply randomly raising their voice, too. And here I thought I was making some actual progress," the girl revealed with a light frown from behind her black framed and rectangular shaped eyeglasses. She then looked down at her right hand a moment, before quickly shaking her head and forced a smile toward Will. "Now _I'm_ the one who should be sorry, excuse me! Hello! I'm Taranee, Taranee Cook. I'm guessing you're here for 'Elemental Manipulation 101,' as well, then? Usually it's just me and another student, but she's come down with the flu, so naturally she's been confined to her dormitory."

Letting out an honestly gruff exhale of relief, more so over the fact that the girl evidently known as Taranee didn't appear as though she'd be a general issue, rather than the added fact that there weren't any hard feelings over her now scorched writings, Will immediately smiled back as she nodded within initial response.

"O-Oh, um, yeah! _Yes_ , I am, Taranee, thanks. Nice to meet you, too - My name's . . . Wilhelmina Vandom, but you can just call me 'Will,'" she stated with another smile, secretly feeling a bit thankful that Taranee hadn't offered up her hand in order for Will to shake it, just in case her abilities would suddenly flare up again . . . literally.

Taranee contently watched as Will maneuvered around the chair placed next to her before carefully sitting down, as well.

She then made a quick gesture toward Taranee's partially ruined notebook before asking, "So, um . . . if you don't mind my asking: What sort of abilities do you have if you can do something like that? I'm _assuming_ , though, that it's . . . _fire_ based or something? I mean, given what you just did, and the name of the class we're in, right?"

Taranee promptly shuddered at this and vigorously shook her head before responding.

" _Blech!_ I _hope_ not! W-Well, I mean . . . my powers are Thermokinetic by nature, which means I possess the ability to manipulate temperatures at will – More or less, anyway. S-So, yes . . . I suppose this also means I _could_ possibly start a fire if I really tried," she hesitantly explained, nervously beginning to ring her palms together as she continued. "And as I understand it, according to Professor Clarkson – The woman who teaches this course, I'm sure you naturally know – my gifts _could_ also one day evolve into full blown . . . P-Pyrokinesis, much like her own. But, to be perfectly frank, although I've been making some pretty decent headway with learning to use my powers in general, I've been _praying_ that they simply stay as they are. I-I'm . . . I'm not a huge fan of fire, you see. _Ironic_ , I know. . . ."

Will couldn't help but grin ear to ear upon listening to the other girl's confession, suddenly feeling as though she'd found her _soul sister_ , or something.

"O-Oh, wow, Taranee. You . . . You honestly have _no_ idea how happy this makes me to hear," she stated happily, before immediately explaining her own backstory of sorts before Taranee could have possibly taken offense, as she did initially appear to. "N-Not that you're afraid of fire – Which, honestly, who _isn't_ , right? If anything, that's more _smart_ than silly, if you ask me. B-But, anyway, listening to you admit what you're afraid of, even though you've gotten a jump on things ahead of me in this class just makes me feel a little less apprehensive to giving this a proper try in front of you later on once my . . . my Electrokinesis comes back."

"'Electro . . . kinesis?' _W-Wait_ , so not only can _you_ actually start a fire, already, but you could also _electrocute_ another person to boot?" Taranee gasped within initial alarm, Will clearly being the first lightning wielding mutant she'd met thus far, based upon her reaction. However, seeing that it wasn't one the redhead was admittedly pleased with, Taranee promptly corrected herself as she flashed her a faint smile. "I-I'm sorry, Will. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I guess that was just a bit of my . . . fear coming back to the surface. But I really _am_ working on it . . . as admittedly slow as it's been. _A-Anyway_ , what did you mean by 'comes back?' Did you somehow lose your abilities? I honestly didn't even know that was _possible_ for us as mutants. _Fascinating_. . . ."

As Will was about to dive into the admittedly still unbelievable events of the past weekend between Irma and herself, the door which was behind the continually unoccupied desk suddenly opened, widening further to reveal a svelte, and moderately tall blonde female.

Upon first glance, she almost resembled an older _Cornelia_ to Will, what with their similar skin tone, pale blue eyes, and cascading, flax colored locks.

However, _this_ woman clearly was no longer a teenager, appearing to be perhaps somewhere within her mid to late fifties, or so, with varying signs of aging delicately tracing themselves primarily along both sides of her mouth and underneath her otherwise vibrant eyes.

"Ahh. I see you're both ready to begin learning! Good to see you again, Taranee, and – Oh, my! Did you have an incident with your notebook? Spontaneous combustion hasn't occurred with you regarding your gifts for weeks, I believe," the woman whom Will could only assume to be Professor Clarkson openly observed with a concerned glance toward a now deeply blushing Taranee as the older woman approached. "Well, it's no worries, because that's why we're here, right? To learn, to grow, and to understand that even once we've eventually mastered our abilities, we'll still be bound to have accidents, all right? Anyhow! _You_ must be Wilhelmina Vandom, our newest student here at 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters,' yes? Pleased to meet you. I am Professor Halinor Clarkson, and during every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will be your instructor for 'Elemental Manipulation 101.' Professor Lin usually takes over teaching each Tuesday and Thursday, as I'm sure you've been informed."

Will could only nod slowly as her response for the moment, unsure of what to say next outside of the usual "Yes, Professor" typically given to any teacher.

It wasn't because as though this woman was intimidating within any sort of manner. In fact, although her words had _sounded_ rather confident, for whatever reason Will could almost sort of sense a lack thereof residing within her.

Maybe it was simply because confidence wasn't really something she, herself, possessed on a regular basis, and so she was simply better at spotting those 'like her,' she didn't know.

Regardless, the prospect of possibly being taught how to better wield her mutant abilities by someone who, by all accounts, might be secretly second guessing her _own_ capabilities was both intriguing, yet admittedly _terrifying_ all at once.

"Hello, Professor Clarkson. Y-Yes, I am _Will_ ," Will at last found her voice a few moments later, smiling lightly at the older woman as the pair then shook hands within continued greeting. "And I'm afraid that it's _my_ fault Taranee's pages are messed up like that. I . . . I accidentally startled her coming in, and . . . yeah. The end result is what you see here. . . ."

Professor Clarkson smiled gently at this as she abruptly raised the same hand she'd just shaken Will's with into the air.

"No, no! One thing you will learn quickly while enrolled here . . . ' _Will_ ,' is that accidents happen, just as I've already said. We try not to dwell on things for too long, and simply move forward," her slightly deep voice stated strongly, although her eyes curiously reflected what appeared to be . . . _sadness_ to Will, in all honesty. However, it was gone just as soon as it appeared, as Professor Clarkson flashed yet another smile toward both students before continuing. "Now, I'm sure, knowing you, as I've gotten the esteemed pleasure to these last few weeks, Taranee, you've _undoubtedly_ committed everything to memory, or possess another backup of some sort, correct?"

"Y-Yes, Professor Clarkson, I have, actually. Memorized my notes, I mean," Taranee piped up within reply, finally closing up her notebook carefully before placing it back into her backpack and retrieving another one, this one completely unscathed and perfectly brand new.

"Excellent! Then I'm sure your natural know-how will be a boon to Will, here, as she, too, begins her journey of becoming better acquainted with her gifts! O-Oh, but I don't suppose you'll be able to do anything _with_ them during your first lesson today, now, will you? I had been informed by our headmaster that you've unfortunately been 'Shorted Out,' is this correct?"

Will felt herself scrunching as far down into her chair as possible within immediate embarrassment, as she listened to her new instructor cut right to the chase.

She obviously knew it was going to be brought up, and in fact she was within the middle of explaining everything to Taranee, herself, before the eldest woman had entered the classroom.

She just wished she wouldn't have been put on the spot about it so _abruptly_ , that's all.

"T-That's right, Professor Clarkson. . . . I, um, I currently am unable to use my abilities. I hope that that's okay, though. I-I mean, I don't really know what I could _learn_ here – Today, at least – if I can't summon up any electricity to . . . to 'manipulate,'" Will replied sheepishly within furthered confirmation, peering up at the blonde woman with apologetic eyes, before quickly doing the same toward Taranee for good measure.

At this, Professor Clarkson simply chuckled lightly, not appearing at all disappointed or put off that one of her students was already incapacitated right out of the starting gate within the slightest.

"That's perfectly _fine_ , Will. That is, not the fact that you were previously _injured_ as a result of your 'Short Out,' but that you're unable to utilize your natural endowment. I'm quite certain that, by tomorrow, you'll be back to normal," she stated kindly as she carefully sat down within the third chair placed in front of her desk, which was closest to Will. "To be quite direct, you not having them at the moment is probably for the _best_ , as I'd _also_ heard that having said abilities has been . . . understandably trying on you. I can attest that those with Electrokinetic powers in particular have indeed found navigating through their day to day, be it at the very beginning or even to this day to be quite stressful. So do know that you are _not_ alone in that, Will. . . ."

Will's cheeks were immediately set ablaze as she was forced to politely listen to this woman begin regrettably airing out her emotional hangups about her given mutant abilities in front of Taranee, whom may or may not later become a potential companion to her down the road, but was still a complete stranger within _that_ moment all the same.

It really did make Will wish all the more that she could have been born with any _other_ mutant power than one which was apparently routinely monitored apprehensively by the faculty, and outright feared by students.

Apparently sensing the redhead's ongoing and private misgivings, Professor Clarkson hesitated a moment before reaching out to lightly squeeze Will's now quite clammy hand and smiled thoughtfully.

" _Trust_ me, Will. You really _aren't_ alone in this. If _anything_ , both Taranee and I – Well, _I_ , especially, can greatly understand and empathize where you're coming from regarding your hesitation. After all, next to electricity, _fire_ can be quite damaging, as well," she explained with a slight nod, pulling her hand away from Will in order to raise it, now balled up into a fist within the air. Only a singular moment passed before a small, yet powerful emerald colored flame suddenly came alive within her palm as she slowly unfurled her fingers to show the both of her students. "I know, _all_ too well, unfortunately, how very easy it is to lose control, and suddenly have a simple flame turn into a huge _inferno_ within the blink of an eye. . . . I wasn't lying when I told you that I see a lot of myself within you, Taranee. I really do. And now, perhaps, the same can be said of _you_ , Will. I was just like the two of you, _completely_ terrified of what I could do, and seemingly overnight forty-odd years ago when my own gifts first manifested. I was . . . a bit of a _coward_ growing up – At least, according especially to my two older _brothers_ , that is – so suddenly being able to start a fire by mere _thought_ alone was certainly _not_ the best combination for my waning self esteem. Then, add all that to being a 'typical teenager,' just trying to get through high school without making a _complete_ fool of myself in front of my friends or crushes at the time, and that was a wrap, you know?"

Taranee _had_ more or less given her the head's up that their mutual professor had the ability to wield fire, and so by all accounts Will should have at least been mildly prepared in some way. However, this prior knowledge did positively _nothing_ to calm the torrent of emotion which was presently running through her the instant she suddenly witnessed Professor Clarkson's hand summon up a ball of flame and 'somehow' cradle it without so much as a _flinch_ , let alone sustaining full on burns.

One would think that, perhaps by now, Will would have become at least a _little_ less flabbergasted by the varying mutant abilities of those dwelling within the halls of _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_.

And, in truth, despite the very real danger the other woman's power could cause to not only Will, but even Taranee, whom already confessed to possessing a very real and understandable phobia of the element, it really was at the same time quite an awe-inspiring display.

It was especially impressive that Professor Clarkson's created combustion was not of the 'traditional' orange hue but instead was green, causing Will to momentarily speculate that, in spite of the woman's words, clearly she had managed to get a much better handle over her Pyrokinetic abilities throughout the past four decades in order for them to become that potent.

Will _was_ an admitted science buff, after all.

Perhaps it was _because_ she was so into science and was largely settled within the world of facts prior to that moment which caused Will's mind to still be very much ' _human_ based,' rather than the apparently _mutant_ oriented it now was, and thus found it rather difficult to reconcile what was happening right in front of her.

What _continued_ to happen right in front of her.

Regardless, Will felt her body mimicking Taranee's within that moment, she saw, as both girls promptly recoiled at the sight of Professor Clarkson's ongoing flame, at the same time that she suddenly stood and walked toward the coffee table resting within the center of the parlor room.

". . . . As I said, I _do_ know very well how easy it is to have something as small as this . . . turn into something as _large_ as _this_ ," she resumed her apparent lesson calmly, her blue eyes focused entirely upon her inflamed palm as the previously minuscule sized, emerald flame suddenly swelled both within size and intensity, "and how easily it could _harm_ others just like that. . . . However, as understandably destructive as our powers can be . . . they can also be quite _nurturing_ and provide great comfort, like so. . . ."

And just as swiftly as she had created a seemingly uncontrollable ball of flame, Professor Clarkson smiled warmly as she gave a quick flick of her wrist, causing the still quite large fireball to 'fly' away from her fingertips toward what Will only just then realized was not simply a coffee table, but was also an indoor fire pit.

With undeniably impressive precision, the green flame abruptly shrunk back to its original size as it almost simply glided toward the coffee table, before suddenly igniting the tiny fire pit within its center with a modest crackle and whooshing sound.

Will felt her mouth slightly hanging agape as she stared at what now looked like a _regular_ fire . . . or at least one seen during a flame test, like within her old Chemistry class back at _Sheffield Institute_ , given its continually bright green consistency.

She now had a _very_ strong feeling that she was going to get back into the habit of keeping a diary of her daily life from that point on, to be sure. . . .

Will then somehow managed to tear her eyes away from the dancing flames long enough to glance at Taranee, an overwhelming protective urge surprisingly coming over her within that moment, as she was pretty sure that anything Will had been feeling throughout their ongoing lesson _paled_ within comparison to whatever the self-professed Pyrophobic girl might have been.

Amazingly, however, although she did appear to be incredibly pale, and was literally shaking within her seat a little bit, Taranee actually managed to throw a brief smile toward Will once she'd noticed her looking at her and murmured, ". . . . L-Like I said . . . It's a w-work in progress. . . ."

Will could only return the gesture and nod sympathetically, before Professor Clarkson strategically cleared her throat in order to regain her students' attention.

"It truly is, Taranee, although it is one you are handling _beautifully_ , I must say. And as I keep reassuring you, if _I_ can eventually get over my _own_ Pyrophobia, able to do what you both have just witnessed with ease, then you will too," she stated with a firm nod, gingerly tucking both hands into the pockets of her gray colored trousers and turning away from the fire she had created in order to properly face both girls. "But, now, enough showboating from me! How about you both stand up with me, get some stretching out of the way before we _properly_ begin today's lesson, all right?"

As Will slowly followed Taranee's lead, who naturally seemed more accustomed to such a request, as this wasn't _her_ first day within this class, the redhead then had a quick thought spring to mind before shyly raising her hand.

"U-Um, excuse me, Professor Clarkson, but . . . I-I know what you said before about how your fire, and possibly what could one day become _Taranee's_ fire both have the potential to _help_ rather than harm, but . . . how, exactly, could that possibly apply to me and my _lightning?_ " she inquired with honest perplexity upon finishing up the last of her stretches alongside Taranee. "I-I mean, when you think about it, whenever someone even says the word, 'lightning,' _immediately_ their first reaction is to go run and take cover, like say, if a _thunderstorm_ is heading their way. . . ."

Will momentarily felt a bit foolish for even asking such a question, as Professor Clarkson regrettably began to chortle as a result . . . a bit too _strongly_ for her taste.

However, apparently seeing that she might have embarrassed her newest student, the blonde haired woman swiftly shook her head before replying, "Oh, no! I'm sorry, Will! Please, don't _ever_ be afraid to speak up and ask whatever is on your mind, all right? You're in a safe environment, with no judgment. . . . Now, that being said, when _you_ think about it, lightning, or _electricity_ , rather, is _life_ , Will! It's life, _every_ bit as fire, or water, o-or air is! They're all connected, you see! I mean, specifically regarding _your_ mutant abilities, think of how many text messages you might have sent to your friends in the past, or the innumerable trips to the grocery store with your parents you might have gone on, hmm? Without electricity, neither would be possible, much how things grind to a halt during a power outage.

"And it doesn't just stop _there_ , either! What about the electrical pulses which naturally course throughout our bodies on a daily basis? Did you know that right now there is ongoing scientific research in order to help better regulate such pulses within the body whenever an illness, or injury might disrupt its normal flow? You claim that your power is different to ours, Will, and that it could only ever cause pain and suffering . . . but from where _I'm_ standing, _like_ ours, it can do _so_ much more if you let it. . . ."

Some science 'expert' _she_ was, if Will had never honestly stopped to even _acknowledge_ all the many, many ways her electricity really _could_ be of value one day . . . although, to be fair, because of the way it had first manifested, perhaps it was rather understandable.

Still, Professor Clarkson had a point, and a profoundly impressive one at that, unknowingly gaining a great deal of respect from the redhead over how obviously knowledgeable she was regarding her element . . . regarding every element, it seemed.

She _was_ the very first professor to bother going into _specific_ detail about Will's newfound abilities, after all.

It honestly now made Will all the _more_ grateful that _'Elemental Manipulation 101'_ turned out to be her premiere 'Mutant Class,' active powers or not.

Will felt herself cracking a rather large smile of gratitude toward the older woman before she could stop herself, although she honestly wouldn't have even if she could.

She _wanted_ her to know how her insight helped ease her mind a bit further in regards to her budding abilities, and she _said_ as much, to boot.

". . . . Thank you, Professor Clarkson. _Really_. I guess . . . I guess I never bothered to try seeing it that way, until now," she expressed with another simper, looking over at a now mutually grinning Taranee, then back toward their instructor standing patiently before them. ". . . . All right, then. I think . . . I think I'm finally ready to give this a try. That is, properly learning to both control and understand my . . . gifts."

Professor Clarkson gazed at Taranee a moment, before giving Will a knowing sort of stare before slowly flashing them both a smile of her own, and nodded.

" _Good_ on you, Will. Good on you," she complimented as she pulled both hands from out of her pockets and took a step forward. "Now, then . . . let's begin."

****\- End of Chapter Five** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy, Will and 'Ranee finally met, and will clearly become the besties they really are later on, yayyyy. LoL And it really IS 'good on Will,' here, since she finally referred to her mutant abilities as 'gifts,' the way everyone else generally does regarding their own abilities. =)
> 
> Really IS ironic, as well, like Taranee said, but more so how insecure Halinor, of all people, would be the one to provide such insight for Will that Will is – Say it with me, now LoL - finally, FINALLY all in to at least giving this whole 'being a mutant' a shot. LoL But I did want to showcase some of her strengths as a professor at the institute, while also mildly alluding that yeah, she still possesses some of her own hangups, all the same. But, hey: Halinor's only human, right? =)
> 
> And as for Halinor's 'science lesson,' Chemistry within the general sense has definitely always held my specific interest by comparison to Biology, for example. But because, even WITH my usually sleepy-heavy mind, I did manage to recall a rather fascinating article about electricity that one of my teachers had made us read and then write up an essay about afterward, I thought I'd incorporate it somehow into the chapter. Just wanted Will to be reminded of how her powers really aren't ONLY destructive within nature as she initially focused on, is all. =)
> 
> I was also going to go ahead and show a bit further of what goes on within that particular class, but then I saw that I was already up to thirteen pages, so thought I'd better stop it there. LoL Which sucks, because I was going to continue on past that and show some of the antagonists, as I'd previously stated I was going to. I suppose that will most likely have to be right at the beginning of the next chapter, instead. Sorry! =) 
> 
> Maybe I'll even shove Hay Lin in there and have her happy-go-lucky self deal with them for starters, seeing as she definitely needs some more screen time, anyway. I love that gal. LoL
> 
> Anyhow! I'M just glad I can finally more or less stop writing Will as kinda on the fence as she'd been up to this point, even after speaking with Elyon, etc. I do still plan on primarily using her as the one to present things as they come a bit through our own perspectives as I have been, or trying to, anyway. However, now that she's officially met everyone, had her first day at both schools, methinks it's time for her to just dive right in as best she can, now. =) Good luck, Will. LoL
> 
> What else. . . . Oh, yeah! Sometimes it just helps to spill your guts to someone you honestly don't give one flying eff about or what they think, you know? And I think that's kinda what happened between Cornelia and Irma earlier on, for sure. LoL Although, hey. Maybe now, because of this, they'll finally find some common ground and maybe . . . gasp. Become friends? Dun dun-freaking dunnnnn. . . . LoL
> 
> But, no. I wanted the two of them to sort of . . . SORT of get some of their ongoing strife out of the way, so that it wouldn't be some super super consistent thing throughout the story, given all the other chaos which will eventually head their way, anyhow, right? :p They'll still definitely clash, to be sure, and maybe even have a few blowups (maybe even literally, who knows LoL), but at least now, like Irma always believed, Cornelia doesn't seem AS much of an android to her, anymore. :p
> 
> Uhhh . . . oh. Mmhm. Gotta give another shout out to a few canon mutants mentioned within the chapter, such as Tabitha Smith, a.k.a. Boom Boom, and Gaveedra Seven, a.k.a. Shatterstar. Just used him as a quick example of another student who might have caused Cornelia's earthquake back at 'Bayville High,' although I am mildly aware of how his shock wave ability is a bit different and really isn't used all that much, for reasons that random student had stated.
> 
> And then, as for Tabby, a character I'm definitely more familiar with by comparison, I just plopped her in for really no other reason except the fact that I was watching some more "X-Men: Evolution" at the time of writing that scene. LoL So, definitely this version of her is the one portrayed within said series, including her already having temporarily dropped out from the institute. Will she re-enroll within my story, or even be actively featured? I dunno. Featured randomly? Maybe. Re-enroll? Dunno, although I don't suppose I could make her best friends with Amara within my tale, or at least not within the same way, seeing as I'd made Amara a middle school student here, instead.
> 
> Anyway! Onto Chapter Six!


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -  
> This chapter was created in August 2018, and finished September 2018.  
> -

All things considered, if Hay Lin was going to be granted a half day of school, and all on account of a fellow student of _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ having lost control of their powers, at least it had been done during such a _beautiful_ day.

Of course, she still felt bad learning that it had been _Cornelia_ , one of the institute's normally most studious residents, to have uncommonly give into "mounted stress," as Elyon had explained to her later on. And she _especially_ felt rather saddened to suddenly have the school's future headmistress as her new roommate as a result, feeling honestly unsure of the overall development, for the most part.

Hay Lin didn't harbor any ill will toward Elyon, of course, nor did she generally regarding the rest of her schoolmates, from both _Bayville High School_ , as well as _'K.S.G.Y.,_ ' as she'd usually abbreviate it, personally. And she was also pretty sure that the two would get on famously as new bunk mates from then on.

After all, they'd managed to coexist underneath the same roof the past two years just fine, and did refer to one another as 'friends.'

Hay Lin was just going to miss the random antics, familiarity and honest _comfort_ sharing the same bedroom as her _best_ friend, Irma, that was all.

The two had immediately hit it off upon meeting one another during their simultaneous arrival to _K.S.G.Y.,_ in spite of the fact that Irma had apparently been _far_ more outgoing, by comparison.

True, _Hay Lin_ was rather friendly and warm, herself, in fact building up a reputation around the institute over time for sort of being one of its unofficial 'Welcoming Committee' members whenever new students would arrive.

All the same, she still had her now lingering moments of introversion as she'd gotten older, a trait which had truthfully always been a large part of her overall personality, especially having grown up within the Lin household an only child.

She imagined being this way helped fuel the overall person she was today, as well as the many different, and admittedly quirky interests she personally held.

After all, Hay Lin did manage to parley her avid involvement within various forms of art, including even occasionally sewing her own interestingly designed clothing into a small, yet still profitable business online. It was just under five months old and really only so far mainly featured some of the handmade jewelry she'd also create, but it was still something.

She _also_ had to place majority of her earnings into the college fund her family had set up for her, one which her beloved grandmother now personally oversaw and made _sure_ that she did so, but at least her professors had allowed Hay Lin the opportunity to take a chance upon her creations, upon _herself_ in the first place.

And of that, she'd always be grateful.

Yep.

Being a bit introverted was something Hay Lin honestly considered to be a bit like a badge of honor of sorts, especially considering a great deal of others would promptly label it a hindrance - Including Irma, herself.

At least, initially.

She, too, had previously possessed the common, misconceived notion that _all_ introverted individuals were _shy_ , or woefully awkward socially, and were sometimes more trouble than they were worth by say, in comparison to the more extroverted, like the Hydrokinetic brunette.

And so it was to Irma's wonderful surprise that not only did Hay Lin _also_ possess the gift of gab, like her – At least, admittedly more so whenever Hay Lin was around those she was familiar with, true – but that the duo shared a great deal in common within the general sense.

Eating _food_ , to name one of their many, dual interests and shared pastimes, especially Irma's own cooking, which was _always_ truly delectable to Hay Lin . . . yet a shame that the brunette wasn't often afforded the opportunity to whip up any new recipe ideas, as all of the meals served at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ were generally provided by its culinary staff.

. . . . At any rate, Hay Lin knew that she was definitely going to miss the frequent, weekend slumber parties, and secretly feasting on junk food late into the night together with Irma, now that the pair were no longer together as roommates.

Still, at least The Professor had placed Hay Lin with someone she actually got _along_ with.

She couldn't imagine how Irma, or even _Cornelia_ was presently feeling, now that the two were irreversibly thrust together from now, until graduation.

After both welcoming, as well as helping Hay Lin settle into her new dorm room, Elyon had naturally gone off in search of her blonde companion, while Hay Lin had announced she would go and do the same regarding Irma.

However, upon finding her, predictably so at the swimming pool (as she was well aware that really anything to do with water usually helped the brunette unwind after a trying sort of incident), Hay Lin was surprised to see that Irma was within rather _high_ spirits.

" _Oh, no, don't get me wrong, Hay Hay. I would love, love nothing more than to have you back as my roomie, to be sure. But . . . I dunno. Maybe your eternal optimism's rubbed off on me or something, because I've simply decided to give all of this . . . all of Cornelia a shot,"_ Hay Lin had listened within honest astonishment upon having asked her closest companion how she was feeling about the overall situation.

Maybe it was because she knew her, more or less, inside and out which had given Hay Lin great pause regarding Irma's curiously nonchalant explanation, because something just didn't feel right.

Obviously, Hay Lin couldn't really put her finger on it, but she couldn't help but get the distinct feeling like there was definitely much, much more to the clearly unspoken story than what Irma was letting on. And considering the girl was generally cards up with her, it admittedly did make Hay Lin feel a tiny bit betrayed by her sudden concealment.

Regardless, she decided that she wouldn't pry all the same, especially considering it blatantly concerned Cornelia, as well.

Maybe something happened between the two of them which Irma obviously wasn't ready to divulge?

This _was_ really the first time, after all, where they'd ever been forced to remain together, outside of _Danger Room_ training sessions, at least. . . .

And so, instead, seeing that her best friend and former roommate had at least _appeared_ to be all right and within curiously accepting spirits, Hay Lin had announced that she would check in on Irma in a little while, before deciding to take in a bit of fresh air off campus before lunchtime.

She'd originally planned on simply staying put somewhere outdoors about the mansion's expansive grounds during her free hour, as several of her fellow schoolmates had also chosen to do in between classes; however, for _whatever_ the reason, the park was simply calling her name.

Good thing, too, that _Hope Park_ was only about fifteen minutes or so away on foot, or else Hay Lin highly doubted that any of her professors would have allowed the clearance, considering the whole, as her Grandma Lin had referred to it, 'hullabaloo' at _Bayville_ earlier that morning.

Of course, it probably helped that Professor Kandrakar was one of the park's top contributing financial patrons throughout the decades, so naturally was well aware of the vicinity . . . which was honestly impressive to Hay Lin all the same, considering that the park was comprised of over _four hundred plus_ acres of land, in total.

But _Hope Park_ was a well known, commonly frequented and flourishing spot for _a lot_ of people within the City of Bayville in general, however, although it had become one of the main hangouts for particularly the _younger_ crowd over time, what with its innumerable areas of activity to visit and to partake in.

It was where a good portion of both _K.S.G.Y._ and _Bayville High School's_ athletes came to practice their sports within the appropriately designated areas, be it soccer, football, or volleyball to name a few.

It was also where families would bring their children on nature walks, or to play about upon one of the many erected playgrounds strewn about the park.

There was even, of course, birthday parties, in addition to lavish weddings held at _Hope Park_ , it was just that encompassing and inviting of an atmosphere.

For the _not_ so athletically inclined, such as Hay Lin, herself, there were, of course, far less active areas used to simply unwind, or to better take in the surrounding nature.

A few of her schoolmates from _Bayville_ , for example, were into Birdwatching, she was aware, and noted that they, and several other people would head toward the park's indicated birding locations to consume themselves within the activity on a fairly regular basis.

And as for Hay Lin, specifically, she could usually be found somewhere around the luxuriously vast _Hope Park Lake_ , where she'd just sit, taking in its unparalleled beauty, or randomly sketch out a few drawings of the elegant bevy of swans which would commonly frequent the area in the meanwhile.

_Today_ , however, Hay Lin was feeling particularly itching to head over to the Loop, an area which was specifically reserved for Inline Skating . . . which was one of the few sporty activities both she and Irma would currently partake in, with Hay Lin, in fact, being the one to originally turn the brunette onto it in the first place and gave her lessons.

Of course, the main reason Hay Lin personally enjoyed it so much was probably the same reason Irma enjoyed swimming, being Hydrokinetic and all: Because while she naturally wasn't free to fly any place she'd so choose, _and_ at any time, at least with skating, Hay Lin could go as _fast_ as she wanted, and still almost receive the similar sensations of gliding through the air, unencumbered.

Well, _almost_ , anyway.

But it definitely helped that Hay Lin had natural dominion over air, and so could manipulate her speeds with little to no effort, nowadays.

And today was no different.

While normally waiting respectfully until she'd make her way to the Loop before donning her protective gear and skates, for whatever the reason, Hay Lin just couldn't _help_ herself, as she was _already_ whizzing down the pathways which were usually meant for just the walkers, or runners.

Although what she was doing wasn't technically against park rules, it was obviously a safety hazard for those around her, especially with the mounting velocity she was naturally gathering.

Somehow, however, a mixture of luck and Hay Lin's honest skill hadn't failed her just yet as she continued her speedy trek toward the skating area, calling out quick apologies and polite "Excuse me!"'s as she zigzagged in between fellow park goers.

As Hay Lin was coming onto a nearby bend, however, her momentum was suddenly too quick for even her to control, as she then collided, straight on into another individual the very moment they'd rounded the corner from the other side. . . .

" _O-Oof!_ " she cried out, more so within alarm rather than pain, her entire body instantly _scorching_ as she felt herself falling on top of her poor victim before she could stop herself.

Her embarrassment only grew that much more excruciating the very moment her brown eyes locked with the deep blue pair belonging to . . . a boy?

A _boy?_

Did she really just _catapult_ herself onto someone of the opposite gender - Worse yet, someone who appeared to be a fellow teenager like herself, and was possibly close within age?

Not to say that Hay Lin was outright _terrible_ when it came to being around guys, having a fair share of them as actual companions back at the institute, just like Irma did, for example.

And a good majority of said comrades, upon getting to know her, surprisingly had little to no real issue reconciling the fact that the Aerokinetic girl _was_ a bit of an oddball, to put it politely, understanding that she'd usually march to the beat of her own drum alongside that generally carefree attitude of hers.

However, even Hay Lin would have still her moments, and would usually make it a point not to go and do anything _too_ foolish around the male population if she could help it . . . _especially_ given that she _lived_ with them, _and_ not to mention the glaring fact that her ever watchful _grandmother_ was also around all of them twenty-four-seven. . . .

"O-Oh, I'm _so_ sorry! _Sorry!_ " Hay Lin practically yelped as she quickly scrambled off of the now . . . surprisingly _smiling,_ raven haired male before wobbly rising to her feet. "H-Here! Let me help you up!"

". . . . S-Serves me right for looking down at my phone at just the 'right' time," the unknown male stated with a faint grunt as he gently cupped Hay Lin's gloved hand within his own, and used it to pull himself from off of the ground. He then dusted himself off a moment before flashing the now profusely blushing girl a broad grin. "Thanks, though. I'd hate to have bumped into a little _kid_ , or someone's dog or something, instead. So, you know, your jolt was exactly what I needed to pay better attention."

Hay Lin suddenly found herself at a loss for words, as she could only _stare_ , rather foolishly at that, back at the seemingly kind young man with honest _hearts_ adorning her eyes.

What _was_ this she was feeling?

Was this how _Irma_ felt whenever she'd go on about whatever guy she liked that week, right before boldly asking him out on a date?

Was Hay Lin . . . in _love?_

No.

_No_ , way.

It was too soon, too _fast!_

_Besides_ , she wasn't honestly one to believe in love at first sight, anyway . . . the fact that she'd never _experienced_ love in general before not in any way influencing that sentiment, either.

Still . . . there was certainly no denying that this boy, this . . . random, wonderfully handsome work of _art_ was curiously making Hay Lin's entire body quiver, palms incredibly sweaty, and heart beat almost as fast as she'd previously been skating, the longer she _somehow_ managed to continually hold his inviting gaze. . . .

"U-Uh . . . okay, then! I'm just gonna . . . _go_ , I guess. Have a good one!" Hay Lin regrettably listened to the dreamy young fellow murmur awkwardly, upon realizing that she evidently hadn't any intention of responding back to him, before sidestepping around her and swiftly resumed his journey before their shared collision.

Hay Lin could only look on within continued silence as she watched the unknown boy rapidly retreat, her vocal chords suddenly feeling very _constricted,_ and unable to utter even a singular word.

The tingling her entire body had been previously feeling curiously began to intensify within that moment, as well, causing Hay Lin to fleetingly liken it to the first time her flying capabilities had manifested. . . .

_Great. I literally bump into an absolute hunk, and now is when my 'natural' motormouth decides to finally run out of juice!_ she silently lamented with an abrupt slap to her face out of frustration, as the raven maned teenager vanished from view within the distance . . . at the same time that _she_ inexplicably did the same!

Hay Lin's brown eyes immediately widened within utter shock as her voice ironically then returned to her, a sharp cry of dismay escaping past her lips as she frantically waved the same hand she'd struck herself with into the air in front of her face . . . and saw _nothing_.

In fact, Hay Lin was unable to see the _rest_ of her limbs, as she now lifted both arms up and moved them about alongside her wiggling legs. She knew they were still there – They _had_ to be, obviously, as she could still feel the familiar, motor skill sensations coursing through her; however, now for whatever the reason, her entire body had been rendered completely _invisible_. . . .

". . . . H-How'd this happen? Where'd I _go?_ " she breathed aloud as her concerned perplexity mounted, before at last realizing that she had effectively vanished into thin air while in _public_.

_However_ this had happened, Hay Lin couldn't continue wondering about it, _and_ having the mild meltdown she presently was while still within the park, not with so many other individuals around who might have witnessed the incident and, moreover, suddenly hear an disembodied voice carrying itself across the open atmosphere.

_Thankfully_ , at least, there didn't seem to be a great deal of people within Hay Lin's immediate vicinity, as she nonetheless nearly swan dived into the nearby row of large bushes at her side.

"O-Okay . . . Okay, Hay Lin. _Think_. Do what the professors and Grandma have all trained you to do, and remember the three R's: 'Regroup,' 'Recuperate,' and 'Retrace Your Steps,'" she murmured to herself as she gingerly crouched down onto the ground within the center of the surrounding shrubbery. "At least this didn't happen while I was still in _class_ back at Bayville or something. . . . A-All right, so . . . all I was doing was skating and enjoying myself as I usually do, until I'd then bumped into . . . 'Mister Handsome,' and then . . . _this_. . . . _Wait_ a sec! T-That's _it!_ I _knew_ the feelings I was feeling wasn't anything . . . _romantic!_ It had to be that my powers have somehow advanced even further! Of _course!_ "

But . . . _invisibility?_

The having learned to _fly_ , Hay Lin could understand, as it was directly connected to her ability to manipulate the air around her.

But how in the world was suddenly now being able to evidently become _see through_ related?

It was times like these which made Hay Lin continually thankful to have been enrolled at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ the past two years, as she no longer had to attempt to figure everything out on her own, or with the well meaning, yet limited assistance from her parents.

"I've gotta get back to the institute and tell Grandma about this right away! B-But, first . . . I have to _somehow_ figure out how to make myself _visible_ again," Hay Lin murmured as she gently puckered up her lips within contemplation, before tardily drawing in a deep inhale as she quickly drew upon her training and focused upon her breathing.

Hay Lin then began to imagine herself within her mind's eye as she closed her actual ones, how she normally appeared, and how she had just a few minutes prior.

And although this particular mutant development was obviously brand new to her, Hay Lin was nonetheless now greatly acquainted with the familiar sensations which usually overcame her whenever _regaining_ control over the rest of her abilities, as a warm, inviting wave of serenity then began to wash over and cleanse her body of any lingering distress.

Still feeling a little hesitant to reopen her eyes just yet, however, Hay Lin waited a moment before doing so, as she instead lifted her right hand directly in front of her, and proceeded to softly count to three.

"One . . . two . . . three!" the Aerokinetic teenager stated as she popped open her eyes on the last count, letting out a squeal of utter elation upon glimpsing at the familiar sight of her open palm and skinny fingers waving gaily back at her. "Ah haaa! It worked, it worked! _Yes!_ Thank you, Grandma! Ohh, c'mere, hand! I missed seeing you!"

After taking a few more moments to plant feverish kisses of relieved jubilation upon both hands, forearms _and_ knees for good measure, Hay Lin paused in order to recollect herself, before warily emerging from the bushes which had been her temporary haven.

Unfortunately for her, it had been at the same instant that a pair of older women, who were pushing two separate baby strollers on what appeared to be a leisurely stroll together throughout the park, were passing by.

" _O-Oh!_ " both women cried out within simultaneous alarm as they witnessed some random teenager suddenly popping out of the greenery as though out within the open wilderness somewhere, rather than a community locale.

Hay Lin could only grin sheepishly a moment as she regrettably watched as one of the two infants, who'd been peacefully asleep, promptly wake up at the sound of the women's startled voices and began to cry as a result.

"U-Uh, _sorry_ about that, ladies! _A-And_ little baby! Shh, shhh. . . .! I was just, um . . . finishing up a nature assignment for school!" she apologized copiously as she wiped herself clean of debris, and then timely pulled out a few leaves which had gotten caught within the ventilation holes of her helmet. "Ooh, see? Yep! _Found_ them! Heh, heh. . . ."

Hay Lin didn't wait for either women to respond, knowing that it most likely would not have been anything readily pleasant anyhow, judging by their blatantly _nettled_ facial expressions. And so, after bestowing onto both ladies a crooked smile and giving a quick wave of goodbye, she took off, back within the direction she'd originally come from.

"You'd think, after all this time, that'd be a bit _easier_ to do, after repeatedly being taught how to prepare ourselves for any incidents concerning our gifts while out and about within public!" Hay Lin groaned to herself with a shake of her head out of lingering abashment, as she sailed back down the pathway and took even _more_ care not to slam into anyone _else_ as she did so. " _Anyway_ , I'd better hurry back home as fast as I can, before I end up doing _another_ vanishing act, this time in front of the _masses!_ "

* * *

She was late.

Of course she was. That girl never could be on time for much of anything, except perhaps mealtime . . . which certainly made this particular situation all the more ironic, given that the place of their impending meeting was at a _diner_.

Perhaps if the promise of _money,_ or something else far more beneficial than 'simply wishing to catch up' had been placed upon the table, she would have arrived on time.

Perhaps.

Always the handful, that girl was. . . .

Nerissa Crossnic repeatedly stirred the piping hot cup of coffee she'd ordered for herself with increasing restlessness as she was forced to continue waiting for her absent companion, while at the same time surveying the surrounding area outside of the relatively empty establishment.

At times like these she greatly wished she had a trusty _servant_ of some kind to take care of this meeting for her, as doing someone else's grunt work was traditionally beneath her.

Still, given the open promise of hopefully one day soon being in control of the entire world, Nerissa supposed she could grin and bear it just this once.

And besides, who better to wait for the guest of honor than . . . .

"Heyyy, Mom. Long time, no see," Nerissa nearly jumped out of her booth and spilled her coffee as she suddenly heard the familiar voice of the girl in question sound from behind her. "Well, geez. Don't go into cardiac arrest, got it? It's only me. I just came in through the other entrance."

Nerissa lightly scowled at the dismissive rudeness the younger girl regrettably usually possessed where she – Where _anyone_ , really, was concerned, as she watched the redhead slide into the other side of the booth across from her.

"Hmph. ' _Mom?_ ' Since when do we bother to address me as such? _Usually,_ it's only whenever you need something from me that we take the familial route, Sienna," Nerissa evenly remarked with narrowed, dark brown eyes as she slowly tucked a stray strand of her free flowing, back length and wavy ebony hair behind her ear. "Lovely dye job, again, I see. Chose red this time, did you? . . . . I'd say that it certainly better matches your fiery _temper_ than your natural _black_. . . ."

"Well, I guess it'd take one to know one, wouldn't it, Nerissa? Guess that'd just make me a chip off the old, _impulsive_ , and temperamental block, huh?" the girl known as Sienna bristly returned with a devious smirk, leaning back within her seat and running a relaxed hand through her dark red, spiky and pixie cut hair before continuing. "So! To what do I owe the pleasure of receiving a belated birthday phone call last week and asking to see one another? . . . . Thanks for the gift, by the way. I absolutely _loved_ – Oh, wait. That's right. You never _got_ me anything, silly me."

Nerissa sighed deeply as she momentarily closed her eyes and gathered her patience, remembering swiftly why mother and daughter habitually needed space from one another, as they were admittedly _far_ too much alike.

As the older woman reopened her eyes and was about to state the main reasoning for their meeting, Nerissa let out an immensely irritated gasp as she witnessed Sienna nonchalantly placing an unlit cigarette between her naturally full lips, and promptly snatched it away before she could have done.

" _Excuse_ me? Do you have _any_ idea what these can do to you? And since when did you pick up smoking in the first place?" she hissed within harsh reprimanding as she roughly broke the cigarette in half before her daughter could have retrieved it from her grasp.

"Oh, sure. _Now_ we wanna play the 'Doting Mother' card, do we? I'm nineteen-years-old, now, you know; gotta kick that baby bird out of the nest sooner or later, right? Although, in _your_ case, you were all too eager to get rid of me soon as I'd graduated from high school," Sienna shot back with a roll of her light brown eyes, absentmindedly scratching at her smooth, chocolate tinted skin before continuing. "And besides, we all gotta die some time – May as well choose how we make our grand exit."

Nerissa momentarily wondered the possible new company her daughter was keeping at her college across the country for her to not only pick up a rather unbecoming habit, but also suddenly be so _fatalistic,_ before calmly lifting up her temporarily forgotten cup of coffee and took a slow sip.

"Yes . . . well. All the same, cut it _out_. It will give you _nasty_ wrinkles, among _other_ complications, as you should know – And I've spent _far_ too much time properly grooming you when you were growing up to see it all go down the drain. . . . It's bad enough you continue to embarrass yourself with this _ridiculous_ clown hair monstrosity you insist on keeping," she continued to nitpick, as she usually would regarding her daughter – Regarding pretty much anything, in all honesty.

Sienna tightly clenched her jaw at this and slowly drew in both her fists a moment, before visibly relaxing herself and forced a manufactured smile upon her otherwise flawless visage.

". . . . No, you're right. That's enough bonding for today, thank you, 'Mommy Dearest,'" she responded with a forced, saccharine sort of air running through her voice before clearing her throat and pressing on. "Sooo . . . why _did_ you call me out here, anyway? And how'd you even know I was back in town to begin with?"

"Yes, well, a mother knows _everything_ , sweetheart. . . . Once you'd decided to take the year off from school and go _traveling_ , instead, as your last letter to me had described, I knew it was only a matter of time before you headed back my way – Hence the ' _Mom_ ' affection from before. So, how much are you after this time?" Nerissa explained evenly after having another, calming imbibe of her coffee. "You should know, however, that you'll get no handouts from me. I _fully_ intend to be reimbursed and well compensated for any generous donation I _might_ bestow, just as I'd done for your graduation. . . ."

Sienna scoffed dramatically at this, throwing her hands into the air for added effect.

"Well, of course! Just as it's _always_ been with you, anyway. I _do_ have to wonder what sort of 'reimbursement' you might have gotten out of having adopted me in the _first_ place back when I was ten," she slung back within a slightly venomous tone, unbeknownst to her actually managing to cause a slight chip within the veneer her mother was usually profoundly adept within constructing around her truest emotions.

She knew she wasn't the perfect mother Sienna might have been hoping for once she'd become a part of her tiny family all those years ago, or was even mother material to begin with.

In fact, if both women stopped to really think about it (and she was sure Sienna already had), Nerissa hadn't any business being anywhere _near_ children.

She _hated_ them.

Well, majority of them, anyhow, _especially_ the teenagers, with their uncouth and obnoxious mannerisms, and _blatant_ dismissal of authority . . . just like her 'little Sienna,' in fact.

Still, Nerissa supposed she could have blamed the . . . admittedly impulsive decision, at least initially, on her _hormones_ , having felt her _meddlesome_ and very real biological clock ticking over time, in addition to . . . _other_ reasons. . . .

It certainly didn't help that she was _surrounded_ by children every day, ironically a _guidance counselor_ to _Bayville High School's_ student body for the last two years.

But then, _that_ specific decision really hadn't been her own, had it, thanks to that absolutely _insufferable_ man insisting that she place herself within the "center of it all, where we'll be able to better enact our plan of operation," as he'd explained upon her initial objection.

Funny how Nerissa, who felt she was _far_ more intelligent by comparison, was so far getting to do all the legwork and been reduced to being a 'Yes-Man,' while that imbecile got to do . . . God only _knew_ what at that present moment.

Still, so long as he kept _his_ end of the bargain, she'd play along until just the right time.

Until then, she still had work to do . . . which was where her _charming_ daughter came into play.

Taking a deep breath, allowing her momentarily wounded emotions to subside before responding, Nerissa flashed as warm a smile as she could muster, as she carefully placed her coffee cup back onto the table.

"Hmm . . . yes, well. I _did_ keep you in the end, didn't I? So that should count for _something_ ," she stated with another smile as she cleared away her throat before continuing. "Now, just _listen_ , for once. The reason I'd asked to see you is because I do need your help with something. . . ."

"And _there_ it is. I knew it. All right, let's hear it, then," Sienna huffed with a shake of her crimson colored head and tight smirk, choosing to bypass her mother's lacerating statement only moments before.

Bottom line, Nerissa was a _bitch_.

Sienna knew it, most people who'd taken the chance to get to know the woman in the past knew it ( _especially_ any would be steady boyfriends, hence her continually single status), and she was quite certain Nerissa, herself, knew it, as well.

She was always speaking before she thought, anyway . . . or, rather, was honestly just carrying on without a damn for anyone else's feelings, really.

After all, Sienna had learned that cutthroat, negative attitude from Nerissa firsthand while growing up, so she really shouldn't have been surprised, let alone no longer affected.

And if the shoes had been reversed, she probably would have honestly stated the very same, herself.

Still, damned if it _didn't_ rightfully piss her straight off whenever she'd have to listen to her 'loving mother' go on and on about such things.

And, truth be told, if Nerissa wasn't more careful, the ticking time bomb she'd more or less directly cultivated within Sienna would soon one day go off right in her _face_ . . . and given her naturally short temper, as well as her rather unique . . . abilities, it all made for a _disaster_ just waiting to happen. . . .

". . . . As you've been _very_ well aware, our kind has been forced to hide within plain sight amongst these . . . _lowlifes_ for decades, even _centuries_ , quite frankly," Sienna listened to Nerissa begin her explanation with limited interest, beginning to mindlessly tear away tiny bits of the previously folded up napkin which had been set in front of her to further illustrate the sentiment, "and although even I, too, have advised that you and I keep our noses clean in order to limit any unwanted attention . . . I'm here to tell you that those days will, at _long_ last, be over. . . ."

Sienna nodded within mock intrigue while continuing to shred at her defenseless napkin.

"Uh huh, uh huh. Tell me _more_ , Nerissa, even though I've honestly heard enough of the same talk back at 'Alcides University,' especially from some of the more 'enlightened' seniors," she stated with a tone which was full of theatrical peppiness.

She knew where this was going, after all. She'd heard it all before from her mother as a kid, to the point that it'd almost become a _bedtime story_ of sorts, it was that repetitively ingrained within her mind.

Humans were dirt bags.

Mutants were the cream of the crop.

And therefore, the roles should be rightfully reversed, with mutants becoming the majority and be allowed to _publicly_ use their abilities whenever they'd see fit and without fear.

And, in all honesty, on paper, it sounded rather ideal to Sienna, and she did agree with Nerissa's ideology . . . about eighty-eight percent of the way.

After all, now that she was an adult, on her own and within the college scene – Or _was_ , prior to her having taken her hiatus, it really was becoming a bit more difficult for Sienna to better relate to her peers, even the few college bound mutants she'd become acquainted with during her first year at _Alcides University_.

But, by comparison, each of _their_ abilities were, in her opinion, barely anything to even give a second thought to, let alone stress over ever being exposed for possessing.

Walking through walls? Oh, what a _nuisance_.

Reading minds? Talk about a headache, pun intended.

Super speed? Well, no longer needing to worry about general transportation, or scrounging up weekly gas money was just an absolute _nightmare_ anyone could relate to.

No.

How about possessing _literal_ fire breath, and spewing out actual, molten lava via the _mouth_ , or being able to incinerate virtually anything just by _touch_ , alone?

_Or_ , even better, growing a pair of bat like _wings_ made entirely of fire, which have the uniquely frustrating ability to simply regenerate . . . no matter _how_ many times they'd been painfully severed from the body?

Well, that was the _lovely_ daily 'adventure' for _Sienna_ , and honestly a large part of the reason she'd postponed her educational pursuits. . . .

She just needed to get away, travel around for a bit and be on her own for a while, while somehow getting her head together and trying to figure out precisely what she wanted out of life and how she'd even accomplish that, now that her Pyrokinetic based abilities had _clearly_ now evolved to the point that she, herself, was slowly but surely becoming a living _torch_.

It was admittedly intimidating, to say the least, and Sienna's regrettably natural instinct was to immediately return home and seek help from the only family she'd ever known.

However, despite following through with the 'returning home' part, at least, back to Bayville, Sienna had yet to inform her mother of the recent developments, primarily due to the fact that she wasn't honestly sure Nerissa would even know what to do, let alone actually _care_.

And so, for now, Sienna had privately decided to simply come back home about a month ago, rent a little apartment in the area with the money Nerissa had given to her prior to departing for college (and clearly believed the younger girl hadn't smartly used sparingly), and deal with her newfound problem on her own as best she could.

If Nerissa wanted to believe that Sienna was simply after more money, or was being flippant about her education and general outlook on life, so be it.

Dismissive behavior ran in the family, after all.

Nerissa took a deeper gulp of her now lukewarm and half empty cup of coffee before responding, bestowing onto her nuisance of a daughter an unappreciative scowl.

"I would honestly think that you would be a bit more _delighted_ by my news, rather than the continual display of derogation you've shown me so far, Sienna, dear. After all, given the things you can do, I know that it must have been _incredibly_ frustrating to have to listen to me reminding you over and over to restrain yourself, especially while at school. It's really no wonder that you never had too many playmates growing up."

"Ever the 'tactful' mother of the year, you are," Sienna mumbled through slightly gritted teeth, both of her shoulder blades now beginning to itch tremendously, which she immediately knew was her cue to make a hasty exit. "At _any_ rate, let me speed this up for you, since you're _such_ a wonderful conversationalist: You're tired of mutants having to live in fear, worry, blah blah blah, and so you think you've finally found the end all solution which will make us be the big dogs for a change, is that it? Even if I believed it – Which I don't – what's in it for _me?_ "

Sienna slowly raised an honestly perplexed eyebrow as she watched as Nerissa gave her an honestly alarming, and bone chilling smile.

"You see, my sweet, we're not simply just going to shift the balance between mutants and humans. We're going to _obliterate_ it completely," she icily revealed with a growing smirk, knowing her daughter well enough to know that she had effectively now taken the bait at last.

Sienna began to uncomfortably shift within her seat, trying to ignore the growing, tickling sensations now rippling up and down her back as she allowed herself at least a _few_ more moments to listen to the rest of Nerissa's admittedly interesting proposal.

"Oh yeah? And how, pray tell, are you going to do that?" she naturally queried, eyeballing her mother as the older woman calmly finished the rest of her coffee with perfect timing, setting it back down onto the table before slowly gazing back up at her.

". . . . By _curing_ them, of course. . . ."

**\- End of Chapter Six**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd modeled 'Hope Park's' general layout and many activities to that of 'Prospect Park' within NYC, and to also make my life a bit easier by having it ideally become the frequently featured spot within future chapters, possibly.
> 
> Also just wanted to point out, in case it wasn't really easy to gather, that Sienna is Ember from both the comics and cartoon of W.I.T.C.H., although more so the cartoonverse version. Just made her an actual human, and gave her another relative name to her powers, was all. And since her voice had been provided by the incredibly awesome and talented Cree Summer, I'd just decidedly made Sienna/Ember African American in her honor, though I am aware Cree is mixed, herself.
> 
> And I hope it was obvious that it was Eric whom Hay Lin had bumped into and met for the first time, there, but just wanted to clarify here in case some readers didn't fully realize that. Also wanted to sort of mimic the way she'd first seen him in the cartoon, as well as have him be the initial trigger for her invisibility powers to manifest themselves. 
> 
> Oh, and that the online shop the professors allowed her to create is basically like an Etsy shop, etc. :)


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -  
> This chapter was created/written in October 2018.  
> -

Although the beginning half had admittedly been a tad rocky within execution, the remainder of that particular week had managed to thankfully progress without any furthered excitement . . . at least, not where continual mutant activity had been concerned.

In fact, by the middle of that week, the focus for majority of Himmerish's students had understandably shifted back onto the immensely talented Karmilla's arrival on Friday evening for her concert debut within Bayville City, and the decision whether or not to attend within a group of companions, or with a potential date.

He could have taken direct credit for this, his pupils apparent ability not to buckle _too_ much underneath varying pressures, particularly things which were out of their control; however, having been one himself, 'once upon a time,' Himmerish was fully aware that it was simply more so to do with the fact that they were, first and foremost, _teenagers_ , and would welcome any opportunity to blow off a bit of steam when it'd come.

Still, Himmerish supposed he would be nothing if not prudent had he, in addition to a few of his fellow colleagues, hadn't naturally taken preventative measures regarding the earthquake, which had been unintentionally triggered by a normally in control Cornelia.

Considering the apparent cause had been due to the ongoing, and at times, admittedly perplexing discord the Geokinetic harbored alongside Irma Lair, a strong sentiment which had been regrettably festering during the past two years they'd known each other, it had only seemed fair that the punishment fit the crime, and that both girls should now share the same living quarters of their mutual dorm room.

And as it was to his understanding, courtesy of his ward, Elyon, no one directly involved had been all too pleased with his overruling decision - _Including_ Elyon, herself.

Cornelia was her greatest companion, after all, and former roommate from the very moment the taller blonde had first arrived onto campus.

And, similarly, both Irma and Hay Lin had also always been rather inseparable, themselves, over the years.

Himmerish, indeed his faculty, had not been without any sort of sympathy prior to their headmaster's final verdict; still, he had every confidence that it inevitably would work out for the better, whether or not either girl felt as confident as he on the matter.

Besides, there were far more pressing concerns which Himmerish now found himself faced with tending to. . . .

"Good morning to you, Professor Kandrakar! I trust you've slept well last night?" Himmerish gently smiled as he looked up from his desk in time to watch one of his longtime colleagues, Yan Lin, gracefully glide through the previously sealed door to his private study.

Yan Lin had always carried herself with an . . . almost _unparalleled_ wisdom and dignity, since the very day he had first met her all those decades ago, which sometimes would honestly cause Himmerish to privately wonder if _she_ should not have been the one to have been born with the profoundly omnipotent Telepathic abilities which he instead possessed.

Or, at the very least, had been made the new headmistress of their fair and just school.

And, in all honesty, had he not already bequeathed the position to his beloved Elyon when the time came, feeling quite strongly that she truly was the _best_ person for the job, Himmerish imagined he perhaps might have approached Yan Lin years ago to one day take his place after he'd eventually stepped down.

After all, there were certainly countless occasions throughout the years since the older woman's employment where her sage council had been readily appreciated, even surpassing that of his own.

For all his insight, it was still rather difficult for him to visualize a much, much more _reckless_ and almost sort of wild Yan Lin during her younger days prior to their meeting, as was openly confessed by her as the pair had gotten to know one another over time, although Himmerish imagined that carefree nature he would manage to catch glimmers of here and there from Yan Lin to this day could also be attributed to her Aerokinetic abilities.

It certainly was, as he'd personally observed, a slightly common 'trait,' as it were, for other fellow mutants with the ability to manipulate the air around them, anyhow, especially including Yan Lin's own granddaughter, Hay Lin. (element personality talk)

But then, being able to do the impossible, such as _flying_ would understandably do that to an individual.

"After all these years together, one would think you'd have dropped the formalities between us whenever in private, Yanny," Himmerish couldn't help but widen his smile akin to that of a child's, almost, as he rose from his seat to help his obvious companion with the silver tray she was carrying gingerly in between her slightly wrinkled, although dainty fingers.

"Ah, yes, well. You know how I am with that, Pr – _Himmerish_ , my friend. I may be pushing on _fossilized_ years, now, but I still can recall the good manners my mother and father had bestowed onto me, God rest," Yan Lin returned the smile with a slight nod of her silver colored head, before turning around to close the door behind them.

Himmerish couldn't help but let out a light chuckle at this.

"Oh, come now! We may the both of us possess more than just a few years underneath our belts, but I would say referring to them as ' _fossilized_ ' is a bit – "

"- Good mor - ! Oh, my apologies for the interruption, Professor Kandrakar, Professor Lin. That had not been my intention," both Yan Lin and Himmerish turned their heads in time to see the familiar faces of Kadma Starlighter and Halinor Clarkson suddenly appear within the open doorway.

"No, not at all. In fact, you've all arrived right on time, as always," Himmerish promptly soothed the traditionally ruminative woman's concerns, beckoning the duo to enter with a quick wave of his hand before resuming his path toward his desk in order to carefully lay the tray down.

As per usual each morning, it had been intricately outfitted with an array of scrumptious looking biscuits, and also a fresh, ivory colored pot of delicious smelling coffee.

It really _was_ always one of the more fascinating observations which Himmerish had come to assess over time throughout his dedicated years regarding mutant studies ( _and_ of the varying abilities he was presently aware existed), to note just how strongly those with elemental based abilities tended to be that much more _influenced_ by them, whether or not this was something they readily realized.

That, of course wasn't to say that none of them, his students, for example, did not possess their own wills and desires _separate_ from whichever element he or she could actively control.

However, it was still endlessly wondrous to observe that, for about every three or so freewheeling Aerokinetic mutant the wise man would have the distinct pleasure of meeting, there would usually be close to the same amount of the more levelheaded, and at times greatly _stubborn_ Geokinetic individuals following along not too far behind . . . like Cornelia, or in this case, _Kadma_ , to name a few.

Still, if Himmerish had possessed any honest qualms over having first approached the extremely adept and wealthy businesswoman, in order to hopefully recruit her talents toward the benefit of the school, he was more than fairly confident he would have dismissed her ages ago.

After all, having someone within his inner circle who was as focused, _fiercely_ protective and . . . at times, admittedly rather _blunt_ , yet forever honest with her every intention as Kadma had only ever been a boon to Himmerish – To _each_ of their ongoing commitment to maintaining the safest environment possible for all of their students.

"Mmm. . . . Another delicious pot of coffee, _expertly_ brewed by the endlessly talented, and thoughtful Yan Lin," Halinor flashed a polite smile toward her encompassing colleagues, as she maneuvered around Kadma in order for the slightly taller woman to close the door behind them both. She then paused within her tracks a moment, her previous smile faltering a bit as she innocently asked, "Should we not wait for Cassidy before beginning our usual 'Pre-Homeroom Meeting?' Or is she just simply running late . . . again?"

As Yan Lin, and even _Kadma_ , surprisingly, let out a soft chuckle at the correct observation concerning the absent redhead's seeming penchant for being behind schedule on and off more than the rest of them, Himmerish curiously became rather pensive.

". . . . Professor? Is something the matter?" Kadma inquired within immediate concern upon turning away from the door in order to join her comrades further inside the expansive and elegantly designed study.

Himmerish let out a gentle sigh at this and nodded, before moving back around his desk in order to return to his seat.

"Ever observant, as always, old friend," he complimented with a faint smile as he sat, extending an arm out toward the tray of coffee in order to silently invite the surrounding ladies to help themselves, much as they normally would each morning. "To answer both questions, Cassidy is in charge of running today's Danger Room training session, as I'm sure you all know, of course. And while, normally, this would obviously not interfere with her other contending duties – Daily meetings, included – I had . . . personally asked that she see to it that everything is within absolute working order, maintenance wise. . . ."

Both Kadma and Yan Lin couldn't help but simultaneously narrow their eyes a bit at this, clearly finding the request to be a bit odd. It wasn't so much for having asked in the first place, as regular checkups was something each member of Himmerish's faculty was generally required to keep up with for safety's sake; it was instead the precise timing of said request, making this the first time in quite a while (barring sickness) that Cassidy would have been absent during their assemblage.

". . . . I do not suppose I would make that much of a good companion if I could not pick up on the bewilderment you so clearly now possess, ladies," Himmerish stated calmly with a small, although still noticeable and sympathetic smile as his gray eyes rested upon Yan Lin, before then settling onto Kadma upon clearly catching sight of their concerned facial expressions. "And it is as you may now be thinking, that I had kept Cassidy away _purposefully_ . . . for the sake of this meeting's focus of discussion. . . ."

"W-What could it be, then, Himmerish? Surely it could not _still_ be about the punishment set onto Cornelia earlier this week?" Halinor harmlessly speculated as she sat down next to Yan Lin, carefully nursing the bold cup of straight black coffee she'd made sure to pour for herself, first thing, in between her hands.

Possibly important news or no, if there was one thing the kindhearted and well meaning woman never failed to be without, it was a steaming hot mug of _the_ strongest coffee she could get, each and every morning.

And considering that her mutant gifts were flame based, Halinor's idea of 'steaming' could flat out at times become borderline _scorching_.

Both Yan Lin and Himmerish smiled warmly at the familiar sight, regardless, while Kadma released a deep exhale of obvious disapproval before settling down next to her and waited for their headmaster to respond.

"No. No, of course not, Halinor. In fact, as it's to my understanding, Cassidy's session within the Danger Room today will actually focus a bit more upon the _root_ behind the mishap, itself," Himmerish explained with a slight nod, draping his arms across the desk and clasping his hands together. "It sounded rather creative, if I do say so, myself. But, anyhow . . . no. The reason for Cassidy's well timed absence is due, in large, to the fact that Cerebra and I had detected the mutant signature of someone . . . rather familiar to our past a few days ago. Or, to be even more precise, _Cassidy's_ past. . . ."

As the room fell silent, it had only done so for simply a moment before Yan Lin was the first to understand to whom the man was referring.

". . . . You can't mean . . . _Sienna?_ " she asked within honest surprise, at the same time that Halinor nearly spilled her cup of coffee onto herself entirely, and Kadma let out a slightly uncharacteristic gasp. "Why on Earth would she be back in Bayville, and now? Didn't both she and Nerissa move out of state _years_ ago, when Sienna was still just a child?"

"When she was only _four-years-old_ , to be most precise. . . ." Kadma corrected a bit icily, although Yan Lin, indeed, _none_ of their remaining, mutual companions took offense to the sudden bout of aggravation, as they were each well aware of the profound sensitivity of their present topic of discussion. "I imagine, then, that my mathematics would be correct within estimating her present age to be about eighteen, or nineteen, then . . . making her an _adult_ , free to go as she now pleases . . . _finally_."

Wiping away the few droplets of coffee which had fallen onto her lap, in spite of the extra care taken for it not to, Halinor replaced her cup onto the silver tray before nervously clearing her throat and stated, within as lulling a tone as possible, "Kadma, please. . . . You _know_ that I have always been _right_ behind you about everything that's happened – I-I'm sorry, _again_ , Himmerish – but it was never directly any of our business. _Certainly_ not up to any one of us, The Professor, included, to control any ultimate decisions made by Nerissa. Goodness knows how resolute and defiant _she_ could be. . . ."

"Yes, which only begs the question even _more_ as to how anything _positive_ could have been seen coming from that woman – _Especially_ not enough to -"

"- _Come_ now, Kadma. Nerissa was every bit _your_ companion as she was _ours_ at the start. Do not attempt to feign ignorance over the matter; it does not suit you," Yan Lin tactfully interrupted within a firm tone, although her dark brown eyes betrayed her, as they normally would to those who truly knew her, revealing a far more compassionate inclination toward her blatantly affected friend.

At this, knowing the older woman's words did ring true, regardless of the surrounding circumstances, a scowling Kadma promptly fell silent . . . at least, for the moment.

Himmerish, who had been mum, himself, up until that moment, as he'd been fully aware the affect his news would have had upon his longtime compatriots, released a low exhale before seizing control of the conversation once more.

". . . . There is no need to apologize to me, Halinor. Both yours, as well as Kadma's opinion over what had happened has always been within direct contrast to that of my own, and even Yan Lin's, at times, if I remember correctly," he began within a mildly unfamiliar, and tentative tone, "but . . . contrary to what may at times be perceived as popular belief, I have no more power over the personal lives and affairs of neither our students, nor faculty than any one of _you_ , as was just appreciatively pointed out, regardless. So I could _not_ have very well forbade Nerissa from choosing to leave our school all those years ago."

"Perhaps _not_ , but you could have fought _harder_ to convince her to stay with us . . . to stay with _Cassidy_ ," Kadma openly accused within a tired tone, the familiarity and repercussions of their topic of discussion, one which was clearly spoken about to death within one form or another, blatantly weighing heavily down upon them throughout the elapsing years.

" _Kadma!_ Restrain yourself, please!" Yan Lin effortlessly defended from her place next to her friend, her traditionally relaxed nature slowly beginning to unravel as she once again found herself having to effectively take up sides, just as she'd found herself doing when all of this had first occurred.

Himmerish, however, merely smiled sadly toward both women, as he raised a calming hand into the air.

"It's all right, Yanny, no worries. There are . . . oh, gosh, a _myriad_ of . . . regrets and paths not taken held deep inside my heart to fill an entire _ocean_ , to be sure, whether or not any of you choose to believe it," he confessed with another deep sigh, freely allowing his mask of absolute togetherness to fall away in front of his companions, the way it would on occasion with _Elyon_ , thereby conveying the utmost trust he possessed within each woman seated before him. "And there are many days – _And_ nights, as well – where I often find myself wondering precisely would more could have been done, or been presented differently to convince Nerissa that her place was _here_ , with all of us . . . especially for the sake of dearest Cassidy. Still, I am, in spite of the powers I possess, merely human, and have no such leeway over free will. Nerissa had decided that what we teach here, our ultimate ideals for the future as mutants, as _humanity_ , simply no longer interested her . . . just as Cassidy had decided to remain here, _regardless_ of what that would mean personally. . . ."

"I can't even imagine ever being forced to say goodbye to the one I loved like that. . . . But then, Cassidy has always been a lot stronger than what might be initially realized," Halinor remarked sadly, running a shaky hand through her free flowing, flaxen locks. "At least she hasn't had to see Nerissa on a daily basis since then, though, thanks to Nerissa having moved out of state, thereafter. While absence does usually make the heart grow _fonder_ , I'm sure that that might have helped by _some_ degree, all the same . . ."

Both Kadma and Yan Lin nodded simultaneously at this, before Kadma remorsefully added, "And it probably 'helped' that none of us have ever really offered her the chance to talk about it some more within the years since, out of fear of reopening some wounds. . . . Here we are, _literally_ preaching to our students and fellow faculty to always be open with our emotions and _own_ them, lest they seize control of us _and_ of our powers . . . and yet for our own _friend_ , we've been willing to more or less sweep everything underneath the rug in all this time. After all, point in case, Cassidy being actively _omitted_ from this morning's gathering."

"Perhaps, Kadma . . . and I know, all too well, how strongly you care for _each_ of us and are incredibly protective. I thank the Heavens every day for having someone like you in my life," Yan Lin complimented warmly with a heartfelt smile before continuing, "however . . . I have to believe that Cassidy has been coping with what she - _And_ Nerissa – had ultimately chosen to do within her own, obviously private way, or else I imagine that half of campus would have been submerged within a _literal_ deluge formed from Cassidy's pain by now. . . . No. She has always been the most in tune with her emotions of us all, and expresses that every day within her teachings by reminding our students the importance of not keeping things bottled up, as you said. And besides, she has also always been a terrible _liar_."

Himmerish, Halinor and, to his relief, even _Kadma_ began to chuckle lightly at the accurate observation and description of their absent friend, and simply allowed the thankfully returned feeling of pleasantries to settle back onto each of them a few more moments, before having to reveal a regrettable truth of his own. . . .

". . . . While I am always pleased to take note of just how well we've all come to know and understand one another throughout the years, I, unfortunately, have _more_ news to share," he stated hesitantly, resting his gray eyes onto each woman sat before him with a pointed stare before pressing on. "Yes, Kadma, you are correct within your assumption that Sienna is a young woman now . . . and she has returned to Bayville, Yan Lin, I am imagining, because of _Nerissa_. She, too, is here. . . ."

At this, all three women let out a sharp gasp of obvious dismay, before Himmerish quickly continued.

"In fact . . . Nerissa has been back the last, I believe, _two years_ or so, now, and . . . has been employed as one of 'Bayville High School's' guidance counselors," he revealed with a heavy swallow, although the weight of having kept quiet to this in all that time admittedly lessening as a result. "Ah, ah. Before you say anything, especially _you_ , Kadma, I'd never told you about this because I did not see the _need_ to. That is, as far as I could always tell, Nerissa was, and still _is_ , perhaps, simply doing her job, and is helping to mold Bayville's students, much in the way that she used to when she was an employee _here_. . . . However, as I think on it further, coupled by the waves of something _unsettling_ on the horizon that I've been sensing, I fear that there now may be _more_ to her placement amongst the ranks of Bayville's student population. . . ."

"You mean, amongst those not enrolled with _us_ , or might have left over time, due to either personal reasons or . . . differing ideals. . . ." Halinor astutely began to knit together openly, the fear now etched upon her face matching the tone within her voice.

Kadma frowned deeply at this, raising a hand to her chin as she actively pushed her personal feelings aside over the obvious lack of certainty her headmaster possessed within each of them to have never revealed something so important the past two years.

". . . . So . . . _what_ , then? Has Nerissa opened a school of her _own_ or something in order to recruit would be, like-minded students? And presumably without her _own_ mutant tracking device like Cerebra, or possessing an X-Factor Detection ability separate to that, the way Himmerish has both, himself? What would doing so even _accomplish_ in the long run, firstly, and how does _Sienna_ play into any of this?"

Yan Lin's ivory eyebrows slowly raised, as she, too, pieced the newfound puzzle together.

"Well . . . we all saw firsthand just how _strongly_ Nerissa felt about her beliefs, how we as mutants _shouldn't_ be hiding away any longer, and should be the ones on top . . . to the point where she was willing to hold _fast_ onto said beliefs, rather than the one she claimed to love," she commented sadly, momentarily biting onto her bottom lip before continuing. "Perhaps, then, she's simply finally felt it time to apply her ideology into active teachings of her own, in hopes of possibly turning it into a _reality_. . . . After all, within contrast, _our_ school has become quite the beacon of _hope_ for a lot of our students, past and present, that we really _will_ one day live peacefully alongside non-mutants. Hope can be _quite_ powerful to those who would hold onto it dearly. . . ."

". . . . Yes, making it quite the formidable _foe_ , even, if that hope would mean the promise of never having to live in _fear_ again, _and_ by any means necessary," Himmerish concluded with a heavy nod, his facial expression darkening as he, too, completed connecting the dots to what could possibly be the bigger picture. "I'd originally thought that keeping quiet over her admittedly surprising return would ultimately remain benign, primarily wishing to protect Cassidy's feelings should she ever learn that the two of them are once again neighbors, essentially. . . . However, if what we're now speculating to be true _is_ the case, we must be as vigilant as possible, especially with so many of our own students having direct contact with her, on and off."

"So, then . . . what do you suggest we do, Professor?" Halinor was the first to voice their unanimous inquiry, as she _also_ did her best not to focus too long over the fact that one of her once close companions was now only _minutes_ away all along, rather than the thousands of miles which they had all always believed.

". . . . For now? Nothing, Halinor. At least, nothing active, that is. As it presently stands, everything being discussed is still simply hearsay. After all, Nerissa has been back long enough to try her hand at tipping the scale, so to speak and, as far as we know, has yet to," Himmerish advised pensively, rising from his seat in order to reflectively gaze out the open, elongated window behind him. "And as we've all reminded ourselves, she was once a dear friend of ours, who wanted the same bright future we do . . . so perhaps we could be _wrong_ in all of this. Still . . . it _does_ trouble me, these feelings I possess, even now after having spoken with all of you about this, in addition to Nerissa's daughter returning home. . . . When I'd first sensed her arrival, her mutant signature was rather significant, even more so than what was initially picked up the day she was brought here to the institute many years ago. I imagine, then, that this obvious growth within power would be a great _boon_ to her mother's possible plannings. . . ."

Yan Lin shook her head at this, staring worriedly at Himmerish's back as he continued to peer down at the expansive, and peaceful backyard area of his dual ancestral home and school within a thoughtful gaze.

"Far be it for me to ever doubt the profound capabilities of that of Cerebra, or yourself, individually, Himmerish, but . . . I am simply having a bit difficulty believing that, whatever Nerissa may or may _not_ have within her head, she would directly involve her child. . . ."

"I'd like to believe the same, myself, Yan Lin, but maybe this is simply you projecting your _own_ feelings onto the matter, knowing that however you, yourself, felt about those without gifts like ourselves, you could _never_ bring yourself to drag neither Chen, _nor_ Hay Lin into it in order to further advance your overall agenda," Kadma observed, openly stating what was clearly bothering the other woman within that particular moment. " _Regardless_ . . . if Sienna may now be as powerful or as capable as you say you can sense, Himmerish, then we shall certainly do our best to keep an eye on matters. . . ."

Halinor nodded within agreement, before suggesting, "Hold a moment, everyone. Seeing as the safety of those attending Bayville may or may not now be potentially at risk, perhaps it would be smart to alert a few of our more _experienced_ students? That is, ask them to sort of be our eyes and ears over there, in case anything might change. We _have_ been training them for such moments of potential conflict, after all. . . ."

At this, Himmerish slowly raised an eyebrow within intrigue as he turned back around to face his colleagues, the mounting alarm which had been building up inside of him temporarily at a standstill.

"Hmm . . . a fair point, indeed, Halinor. We really _have_ been doing precisely that over the decades, haven't we . . . though, thankfully, we've never needed to ask any of them to actively call upon said training . . . until now," he remarked with a slight nod, gently rubbing at the back of his neck before posing his own inquiry. "Who, then, would you suggest? Would any of you suggest? I have regrettably kept this concealed away for far too long, and would not wish to have any more strife lingering between us. And so, as we press forward, I would do so with as much of your seasoned input as possible, my friends. . . ."

* * *

"You know I generally enjoy our lovely 'D.R.' seshes as much as the next mutant, but I would really _much_ prefer to conserve my energy for something far more important . . . like screaming my lungs _literally_ out throughout the entirety of Karmilla's mother-fluffing rock concert, tonight!" Irma squealed within unbridled excitement, something she'd been doing all morning to anyone within earshot.

She'd say she'd _well_ earned the so called right to do so, quite frankly, as not only was it _finally_ Friday, Irma had done her absolute best to ensure that she did not get into any sort of trouble at _either_ school.

Not even sharing intimate quarters with _Cornelia_ from now on had managed to dampen her resolve within any way, either . . . although, to be fair to them both, while they were _far_ from declaring one another best friends, they were, at least for that first week, managing to better tolerate their newfound circumstance.

On the surface, anyway.

Regardless, Irma was taking what she could get from the normally high strung blonde if it meant that she was now only mere hours away from finally, finally, _finally_ seeing her beloved musical artist face to face.

It was still a little after one in the afternoon, with both lunchtime, in addition to her first half of classes over at _Bayville High School_ out of the way for her, and all Irma really had left to contend with was her weekly scheduled training session within the Danger Room.

Well, that, and her Journalism and Sociology classes to still somehow plow through, as well, before sequestering herself inside of her bathroom for what would be the beginning of her afternoon long preparation, right until the concert later on that evening.

"You've lasted _this_ long, Irma – I'm sure just a few more hours won't kill you! And besides! You usually look _extra_ forward to sessions run by either my grandma or Doctor Chacon, like today, since they tend to be more on the creative side, right?" Hay Lin queried with a light giggle as she continued walking alongside her best friend down the familiar, metal lined walls of the basement level of the institute, where the ever impressive and adaptive Danger Room awaited.

As one of the more practiced students, both Hay Lin and Irma, as well as Elyon and Cornelia, to name a few others, were now bumped over onto the rotating schedule of having their training sessions every Wednesday and Friday from now on, versus the Tuesdays and Thursdays which were reserved predominantly for the newer schoolmates, instead.

As it was to her personal understanding, courtesy of her grandmother Yan Lin, separating the Danger Room sessions by degree of difficulty greatly decreased the pressure on those who might also have felt they were not as prepared, or even as powerful as someone who believed, say, to be ready to take on the highest level of difficulty the training facility presently had to offer.

Regardless, it was certainly quite the honor to finally be considered capable of handling any and all advanced simulated programs her instructors would undoubtedly lob her way from then on.

Plus, there was at least Hay Lin's newfound Invisibility powers to back her up if things became too dicey, a recent development which had filled her grandmother with pride, as expected, and had filled Irma with overwhelming _jealousy_ . . . also as expected.

Mostly.

It wasn't to say that Irma hadn't been every bit as thrilled as Hay Lin now was with her newest gifts, now that she was gradually getting used to them, if not the hang of them, outright; it was, simply put, 'unfair.'

" _Here I am, busting my chops to get my own powers to expand and branch out more – Which, yeah, okay, they totally have, fine – and all you have to do is meet some cute guy at the park one day, and boom! 'See Through City,' population: you!"_ Irma had playfully chastised her comrade upon becoming privy to the smaller girl's literal development. _"At the very least, you're so gonna use it to my advantage, like sneaking me the answers to future homework assignments, or pranking the hell out of both campuses, or something!"_

Thank goodness both girls knew one another inside and out, for the most part, or else Hay Lin might have really believed that her most recent manifestation was now going to be an issue between Irma and herself.

Still, something told her that, for all her present complaining, Irma was probably feeling secretly pleased for sharing _today's_ training session together, unlike the other day on Wednesday, as it meant possibly evening the so called odds between them again.

"Well, yeah, of _course_ I do, Hay Hay, and today is no different . . . I _guess_ , but my mind's just not fully in the game, y'know? But, hey. Maybe Doctor Chacon will have us do some simple targeting practice the whole time, or something! And then, I'll be home fr -"

"- Oh, _God_. Don't tell me you're sharing today's session with me, too? It's like The Professor has us glued at the _hip_ from now on," Irma suddenly heard Cornelia's voice unexpectedly cut her off, just as the x-insignia and reinforced metal door to the Danger Room slid open and revealed a familiar pair of blondes waiting patiently inside.

As was customary, all four students were presently donned within the sheer black boots and uniforms traditionally worn during each training lesson which was, including the small, yet noticeable canary colored 'X' adorning the navel area, meant to signify a united front as students.

As for the 'X,' itself, and what it actually meant (as it was naturally a simple, yet curious symbol to come upon, all the same), each professor would explain to those encountering the Danger Room for the very first time that it would help serve as a reminder that each and every one of them was _extraordinary_ within his or her own right . . . hence, the 'x.'

A bit _cheesy_ , to be sure, but applicable, nonetheless.

"You know that Irma doesn't have any control over the rotating schedule any more than you do, Cornelia. Not to mention the fact that this certainly isn't the first time we've _all_ shared a training session together, and not just the two of you, specifically," Elyon, who would apparently also be within attendance that day, commented kindly with a small smile, moving away from a lightly scowling Cornelia's side in order to properly embrace Irma, as it had been the first time the pair had seen one another that day. "Hey, you two. Bet you're excited for tonight's concert, right? I never _did_ remember to ask if you're going with a group of friends, or with a date? I know th – "

"- N-Not that this isn't a fantastic conversation, but if you get Irma going again, we'll _never_ get through today's session, and then we'll _all_ miss out on Karmilla's concert, Elle," Hay Lin politely interrupted with a teasing nudge into Irma's side with her elbow, who merely rolled her cyan colored eyes within defeat.

Thankfully the attention had been focused in upon Irma during those past few moments that none of them had managed to catch the brief, yet regrettably strong rouge splashing across Cornelia's cheeks at the mention of going to Karmilla's rock concert with a potential 'date.'

She'd honestly been so preoccupied with attempting to no longer beat herself up as much over her slip up on Monday concerning her powers, in addition to doing her best to cope with having _Irma_ as her roommate as a result that it had _completely_ slipped her mind to ask not only if Elyon was going with anyone, but if she wouldn't want to with _her!_

 _Now how's it going to look if I try to ask her after this, or something? There's no way Elyon's gonna buy into the originally casual approach I had planned, and will undoubtedly think something is up!_ Cornelia stiffened with a mental groan as she finished blindly pulling her long hair up into a slightly messy ponytail. _O-Oh, God! Relax, Cornelia! You've got this, all right? Stop thinking about it so much before even Irma's usually oblivious self catches onto something being the matter with you, and just focus on training! Man, am I definitely looking forward to this much more, now. . . ._

"Good afternoon, ladies! Are we ready for today's lesson?" Doctor Chacon's familiar, and energetic voice suddenly echoed from overhead, causing the quartet to gaze toward the glass covered and cylinder shaped control room constructed high above within the center of the area.

This was generally where each professor placed in charge of any presiding training session remained, both to be out of the way in order for their students to properly focus, but also to immediately shut down any running simulation at any given time if need be.

Indeed, despite now having experienced at least over a hundred sessions firsthand, it never did cease to amaze all four girls just how amazing the Danger Room truly was, courtesy of its out of this world, holographic technology none of them could even begin to fully comprehend, nor was ever fully explained by any of their instructors, truth be told.

All any of the students were really certain of, was that one moment, they would be standing within the woefully bare metallic lined room, within nothing truly impressive about it on the surface; the next, they could find themselves somehow transported to the _moon_ , forced to defend themselves against hostile alien lifeforms hot on their trails.

Or, sometimes, the room would remain as it presently was, without any sort of projected images, and instead a full arsenal of _weaponry_ would suddenly unleash itself from the surrounding walls, or even beneath their feet in order to subdue them.

It certainly was not aptly named the 'Danger Room' for _nothing_. . . .

Irma was the first to respond, grinning ear to ear toward the red haired pediatrician who was not only one of, if not her most favored professor, but really was, at times, her _doppelganger_ , as both were Hydrokinetically gifted, but also shared a similar sense of humor.

Heck, they even sort of _looked_ alike.

"I know _I_ am, Doc! Well, I mean, I am but I'm not, but we all know why by now, so I won't get into it, again!" Irma said with a dismissive wave toward her own self before nodding within confidence. "A-Anyway, suffice it to say, I'm ready to take whatever monstrosity you can dish out at us, today! What'll it be, eh? A giant _squid_ which needs to be taken down a peg or two? Or maybe a 'simple' sparring match amongst friends . . . _hmm_ , Hay Hay?"

"W-Wait, what?" Hay Lin stammered within mild confusion, her closest comrade's statement all but confirming her previous suspicion that the brunette was greatly itching to go toe to toe against her in order to see how well she might now fair against Hay Lin's cloaking power.

"Mmm, _kinda_ close, there, kiddo! No, today, I thought we might try something a teeny, tiny bit different than what you might be used to – Consider it an inspiration, or even a dedication or sorts, toward _you_ , Cornelia," Doctor Chacon confessed with a slight, good-natured chuckle as her voice continued to reverberate through the control room's intercom. "That is, I know how beat up you've been about what happened on Monday, and have probably had it up to _here_ with a few of your fellow students possibly _still_ talking about it on either campus, right? Well, I've decided to let you – Let _all_ of you – let loose today!"

Cornelia's cheeks once more grew hot as Doctor Chacon's words regrettably held merit.

While, for the most part, things certainly had quieted down around _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ about the incident, with none of them ever really catching on that it had been _Cornelia's_ doing, the students over at _Bayville High School_ , on the other hand, were understandably much more in the dark about the matter.

Even Principal Knickerbocker appeared to be continually affected in some way, as although the school and its surrounding area had been deemed safe enough to reopen by Wednesday, after having temporarily closed its doors on Monday and Tuesday in order to fully assess any possible dangers, she had still scheduled not only an assembly dedicated to earthquake safety, but had conducted a surprise earthquake _drill_ both on Thursday, as well as earlier that morning.

" _This was something that I, as your principal, should have implemented long ago; however, being that I had naively believed that our location was completely safe and away from any fault lines, we will be performing both fire, and earthquake drills from now on,"_ she had explained during her school assembly, much to the _chagrin_ of Cornelia, yet surprising . . . _relief_ , almost, to majority of Bayville's populace, it appeared.

Cornelia had imagined that it was only fair in the end, however, as the occurrence really _did_ seem like one born of nature's unpredictability.

Still, it was a bit unsettling to be aware of the sheer _fright_ she had directly invoked among her peerage, and made her honestly wonder if that's not what it might be like on a daily basis if ever non-mutants were to ever one day learn of the existence of mutants. . . .

"You will each be paired off, one team against the other, within a race to seize your opponents' flag from their starting base – And bring it back to your own – without getting eliminated!" Doctor Chacon excitedly explained through the intercom. "Consider it a game of . . . 'Mutant Capture the Flag,' if you will. Of course, the key differences here is that not only will you be up against your powers, but also a few little . . . _surprises_ thrown in here and there, courtesy of yours truly! As I said, this exercise was inspired by Cornelia, so as a result I am . . . throwing a tiny bit of caution to the wind by allowing you to go all out with your abilities for a change! That's right, ladies! Want to summon up _massive_ floods, _tornadoes_ . . . another earthquake? _Nothing_ is off limits, here – Barring maiming and actual _killing_ , of course."

Both Irma, as well as Cornelia's eyes widened simultaneously at the news, though for different reasons, as the brunette was the first to speak up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you _seriously_ giving us free reign and the green light to just . . . go to town for once with our powers, Doc? Like, for _real?_ " Irma asked with palpitating glee, giving a sideways glance to Hay Lin as a now troubled looking Cornelia did the same toward Elyon.

"That's absolutely what I'm doing, Irma . . . and yet, I'm not," Doctor Chacon replied, a bit cryptically, before continuing. "See, as you're all _very_ much aware – Or _should_ be, by now – Control can mean many, many things, generally speaking. And within _our_ case, it can mean control over never using our gifts again, or using them with _discretion_ , as your other professors and I have always tried to impart upon all of you. But then, as you, and a few of our other more experienced students have or are beginning to learn, it can also mean using your abilities with such precision and tact that it's almost as though no effort was even taken at all. _Today_ , however, it's my hope that you'll learn how to harness the sheer, _raw_ strength of what your powers can _really_ do, yet somehow _still_ maintaining a balance between that, and outright utter _destruction_. . . ."

Hay Lin was the first to activate her gifts, almost as though on cue, as she effortlessly lifted her thin frame from off of the metallic floor and gently glided toward the redheaded professor stationed within the comfortably lit control room.

"So . . . wait. How are we meant to 'let loose' like you want us to do, but at the same time be _mindful_ of, well, everything else, Doctor Chacon?" she posed her inquiry within a slightly worried tone, lightly ringing her hands together as she gazed down at the companions now below her.

"And _that_ , my sweet Hay Lin, is precisely a part of what today's exercise will be about! Learning when, where, _and_ how – And even _why_ the choice whether to use a little to full force within any and every situation is so important, especially if there might be others to _protect_ , hence pairing you off into teams," Doctor Chacon stated within a reassuring tone, lightly clearing her throat before at last revealing the remainder of her lesson plan. "Now, then! Speaking of, Hay Lin, you will be with Elyon, which naturally leaves Cornelia and Irma together. As you go through the simulation, true, you're meant to retrieve the other team's flag, but it's also absolutely _important_ that you stick together, and have each other's backs! Got it? Take a minute or two to get ready, because we're commencing on my mark."

As Hay Lin turned away from Doctor Chacon and began her descent back toward her newly assigned partner, Elyon approached Cornelia from behind and rested a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

". . . . Well, good luck to you! I . . . know that being paired up with Irma during _any_ exercise has never been your idea of fun, but now that you two are _roomies_ , surely you might find more common ground with one another," she stated as peacefully as she could manage, although her eyes began to strongly give her true feelings away once Cornelia's own rested upon her.

Maybe it was because they were best friends as the main reasoning for having immediately picked up on it, but considering it was a concern the tall blonde was also feeling, herself, Cornelia wasn't really all that surprised.

". . . . She's still definitely one of the last people I would actively pick to team up with, true, I guess, but I'll manage like I always do, somehow," she agreed with a slight nod, before exhaling a bit shakily. "No . . . Irma's not my focus right now, anyway. I-It's . . . today's objective, and . . . well, having to now go full force against you. I don't . . . I don't want to hurt you, you know? _You_ saw – Well, sort of – the chaos I unleashed the other day, and that was just a few _seconds_. . . . But, I know what I'm feeling is nothing in comparison to your _own_ worries, right? You've been so used to dialing back your many abilities by your own accord all this time, anyway, and now here we are, being told to do the exact _opposite_ for a change. . . ."

Elyon nodded slowly, a light rouge dusting her cheeks as she shifted her gaze from the ever concerned Cornelia, to Irma and Hay Lin, who now both approached and presumably caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Y-Yeah, I, uh . . . well, this is definitely going to be a bit of new territory – For all of us, I'm sure – but I suppose that's just part of our advancement as students here, right?" she responded as calmly as she could, although she unconsciously began to lightly rub at her left arm. "I'm still not a fan of using my gifts to . . . their greatest potential, I guess you could say, but . . . I _do_ know that if I start to freak out about it right now then we'll _all_ be in a lot of trouble. So, don't worry about me, Cornelia – That'll be _Hay Lin's_ job, instead! And . . . _you_ don't worry about _yourself_. . . ."

"While I hate to break up this little love fest you've got going on, here, I'm gonna have to interject and say that both you, _and_ Hay Lin should be worried, Elyon, because I'm _definitely_ going to be bringing my 'A Game . . . ' even _after_ being partnered with Cornikins," Irma smirked as she playfully wrapped an arm around the diminutive Telepath's neck. "Just make sure you try to keep up, eh?"

Cornelia, shooting daggers at Irma upon lingering instinct, found herself immediately relaxing, strangely enough, and even managed a faint smile as she was for once able to pick up on the other girl's jest.

 _. . . . I guess now being stuck as roommates actually has made some sort of impact, after all . . . maybe_ , she mused with a light nod, just as Doctor Chacon's voice could then be heard through the intercommunication system above them one final time.

"All right, ladies, here we go! Computer, run Simulation Number: Five, eight, four, one, level two," she activated the intended program, before then shifting all of her attention toward monitoring the oncoming situation, both at her place in front of the multitude of controls set before her, as well as properly overseeing her students' overall safety.

Without another word, the mutant quartet below swiftly separated into their designated pairings, attempting to gain as much distance as possible within the expansive area, as the once unembellished Danger Room suddenly shifted into what appeared to be a dense marshland of sorts. . . .

" _Sweet!_ Talk about nepotism, huh? Good looking out, Doc," Irma squealed as quietly as she could upon having taken in her newfound surroundings, grinning from ear to ear toward the watery area both she and Cornelia were now standing, knee deep, within.

"Yeah, great for _you_ , not so much for _me_. Gross mosquitoes and gnats, gross _swamps_ , and not much _earth_ to work with," Cornelia muttered within blatant disdain for the chosen simulation, as she carefully concealed herself behind one of the many nearby Weeping Willows which naturally shielded both girls against immediate detection. She then wrinkled her nose within furthered disgust as she timely swatted away a few of the pesky insects in question, before performing a double take upon catching Irma's amused stare of disbelief. " _W-What?_ "

"Are you _serious_ right now? Miss 'Has _Totally_ Worked Around the Clock to Master Her Abilities, _Tout Suite?_ ' I guess what happened on Monday really _does_ still have you pretty rattled if you've somehow forgotten that, _hellooo?_ You control _earthy_ crap!" Irma chuckled with a disappointing shake of her head, expanding her arms out on either side of herself for furthered emphasis. "If you've managed to learn how to _heal_ people through said ability, then I'm _pretty_ sure you can make a simple _mud_ ball, or . . . I don't know. Make one of these massive trees here start _walking_ and subdue our lovely opponents long enough for us to snag their flag. 'Go all out,' remember? Now, c'mon, girlie! Let's camouflage the piss out of _our_ flag I see next to you, there, before heading out to take out our respective besties!"

Cornelia felt herself rapidly blinking within surprise as Irma's words sunk in, before her face grew warm as she realized her obvious folly.

Clearly, she really _was_ still too hung up on her previous mishap, even now, that the normally observant teenager hadn't made the, perhaps _literal_ connection that she was now surrounded by her personal element, just like Irma was, herself.

She _could_ do this.

She _could_ get over herself, get over the fact that she would be forced to unleash her full strength at all, let alone against _Elyon_ of all people . . . and _win_.

Simple.

". . . . You're right, Irma. I _can_ do this. Well, _we_ can," Cornelia nodded firmly, taking a deep breath to center herself as she watched the Hydrokinetic brunette begin to eagerly lead the way after leaning forward to gingerly pluck the blue colored flag previously perched against the tall and peaceful looking tree. She then quickly reached out and seized Irma's wrist as she sternly reminded, "B-But, we're a _team_ , remember? If you've got _my_ back, I've got _yours_."

Irma rolled her eyes at this and scoffed, before gently pulling her arm free.

"Yeah, _yeahh_. We may now have 'graduated' to the harder stuff the Danger Room can supposedly lob at us, but it doesn't mean that this is my very first training session. Now, hurry up, will you? The sooner we find that flag – _And_ I show Hay Lin that just because she can now become _see through_ doesn't mean she can escape my _wrath_ – the sooner this school day will be over with, and I can, say it with me, _fiiiiinally_ put all of my attention onto Karmilla's concert tonight!"

* * *

"Boy, I really hope our poor flag will be okay. I understand our needing to have an actual, solid objective to this exercise, besides . . . well, you know, ripping each other to shreds, maybe, but I don't think Doctor Chacon's played _normal_ 'Capture the Flag' a whole lot, growing up. We _totally_ should've had at _least_ two more teammates, or something," Hay Lin couldn't help but ramble as she continually floated at Elyon's side, halfheartedly leading the way through the incredibly thick, and seemingly unoccupied swamp area.

They were about half an hour or so into the simulated exercise, with little to no activity, thankfully, but Hay Lin clearly was feeling every bit as unsettled over the prospect of potentially hurting the one, or both of her friends as she was sure Elyon was.

True, this wasn't their first training session, and during the more traditional sparring matches, specifically, Hay Lin had been known to get into a few tussles here and there against some of her fellow schoolmates. Still, she had always been mindful enough to hold back as she was used to, and even then she'd always trusted whichever professor who was running the simulation to promptly call it off if ever an emergency would arise.

And while she was still quite certain that this time wouldn't be any different, the fact that somewhere, lurking out there within that otherwise uninhabited marshlands was Irma, who was apparently _more_ than willing to go toe to toe against her, it naturally made Hay Lin a bit more than just nervous.

Especially considering that _her_ particular gifts had always been on the more . . . gentle side of the spectrum.

Or, at least, how Hay Lin had personally always chosen to nurture them, anyway.

Sure, she was well aware just how devastating her dominion over air could be, _especially_ if Grandma Yan Lin's personal demonstrations over the years were to be any sort of indication, but there had never really been any reason for _Hay Lin_ to harness them within that way before.

Not really, anyhow.

Hay Lin was all about keeping the peace, after all.

Still, it did make her wonder what tactic she might ultimately employ, once both she and Elyon would inevitably come face to face against their mutual opponents. . . .

". . . . I'm a little nervous, as well, Hay Lin," Hay Lin could hear Elyon whisper next to her with a faint smile of understanding, before quickly adding, "and that isn't me reading your thoughts . . . although I _will_ admit that it's becoming a bit difficult as we go along to actively keep that in check as I normally do. . . . I guess that little pep talk I gave to Cornelia earlier isn't really rubbing off on me as well as I'd wanted. I just hope that I'll be able to help you out and . . . trust within my gifts when we _do_ eventually come across them, or their flag. . . ."

"Y-Yeah, _or_ whatever so called 'surprises' Doctor Chacon said she'd have planned for us along the way," Hay Lin couldn't help but shiver within agreement, just as their surrounding area curiously became enveloped by a rolling fog. "Aaand, great. Now we've got low visibility to deal with. As if this place isn't creepy enough on its own. . . ."

Suddenly, Elyon stopped within her tracks, quickly reaching out for Hay Lin to do the same.

"S-Shh! . . . . Wait a second, Hay Lin. I . . . I don't think this is a naturally occurring fog," she hushed, willing herself to push aside any lingering hesitation and focus about their immediate vicinity.

Her teammate needed her, and like it or not, she couldn't let her down.

Hay Lin, too, quickly caught on to the abrupt shift in concentration, landing beside Elyon back into the muddy water as quietly as she could as she breathed, ". . . . Irma must be in _heaven_ with all this water to manipulate, huh? At least we know we must be on the right track, now, although it'll definitely make seeing their flag that much more difficult."

Nodding firmly with agreement, it was the kind Telepath's turn to lead the way through the swampy area as best she could, now that visibility had been drastically cut, courtesy of their Hydrokinetic opponent.

"Y-Yeah, as well as making it that much harder to find her, _or_ Cornelia and incapacitate them both, although I'm pretty sure that was the idea," she remarked, her eyes squinted and straining to see even just a few steps in front of her. An idea then sprang to mind. "Hay Lin . . . your abilities are air based, right? So, why not get rid of some, if not all of this fog so that we can at least be able to see where we're going, again. And while you do that, I'll . . . see if I can't listen in to either girl's thoughts in order to get a general sense of where they might be. . . ."

As Hay Lin slowly raised her arms up, signaling her concentration in order to disperse the encompassing fog with her Aerokinetic gifts, her raven colored head gently cocked to one side as she asked, "Really? But . . . won't that be, like, _cheating_ a bit?"

Elyon paused a moment, before responding.

". . . . To me, personally, _yes_ , but . . . Doctor Chacon's counting on us to do everything we're present;y able with our abilities, so. . . ." she trailed off with a light scowl as she prepared herself to peer into the mind of their comrades, in spite of knowing how uncomfortable that usually made all parties involved.

Seeing how determined Elyon, of all people, now was in order to complete today's training session as successfully as she could, Hay Lin, too, followed suit.

After all, once _she_ became serious toward an objective given to them by one of their professors, then it was definitely time to put up, or shut up, considering how _immensely_ powerful the blonde was without ever truly trying.

It was certainly one of the reasons Hay Lin wasn't ever too keen on sharing training sessions with the Omega Level mutant, after all, though she _was_ feeling rather blessed that Doctor Chacon had partnered the two of them together for this particular exercise.

She didn't envy Cornelia and Irma once all four girls at last faced off, that was for sure. . . .

"All right, then. . . . Here we go," Hay Lin complied with a calming inhale, slowly placing her hands together in front of her, before then abruptly wrenching them away from one another . . . at the same time that a large gust of wind sliced through the previously matting fog, and effectively cleared a renewed path for both girls. "There. I'll take to the skies again, though, to see if I can't finally get a visual on the girls' flag, while you continue doing . . . your thing."

As she momentarily watched as her partner swiftly lifted herself back off of the ground, smartly utilizing a few of the nearby trees to act as cover, Elyon took the opportunity to close her eyes and chose to focus all of her thoughts toward _Cornelia_ . . . wherever she was.

After only a few moments of silence, her mind was effortlessly bombarded with those of the Geokinetic mutant, which were frequent and rather informative at first . . . before curiously tapering off to a faint trickle.

". . . . Well played, Cornelia," Elyon murmured to herself with a soft smile as she reopened her eyes, before sending a mental message to Hay Lin above her, catching her off guard.

 _Hay Lin, I was able to pick up on Cornelia's brainwaves. It was pretty strong at first, and filled with . . . a bit of apprehension, I suppose maybe over having to face us, as well, but then . . . nothing_ , she revealed telepathically as she craned her head up in order to look upon a now partially hidden Hay Lin a few feet away from her. _That is, I'm still able to read her mind, sure, but she's . . . purposefully trying to distract me with all sorts of nonsensical things, clearly knowing that I'd try to find her this way. Probably should've chosen to probe Irma's mind, instead, in that case. . . . Still, I did get that both hers, as well as Irma's general location is about . . . due east from here, I believe._

 _That's great, Elyon! I'd honestly forgotten for a second that you could also project your own thoughts into the minds of others, there,_ Hay Lin's own mind responded with a sheepish grin and nod, before growing serious once more as she then asked, _So then, how do you wanna proceed? We obviously can't hang around here for much longer, and that flag's not gonna capture itself. Do we go after the girls and try to take them out first, and then find their flag? Or, do we do the exact opposite?_

Elyon took a deep, cleansing breath before suddenly rising into the air right alongside Hay Lin, causing the other girl to gasp within genuine surprise.

". . . . I say we eliminate the _bigger_ threat first, especially since we now have at least a general idea of where they both are," she stated verbally as she continually hovered delicately beside the Aerokinetic teenager, before blushing slightly. "I, uh . . . guess I don't normally use my _Telekinetic_ abilities all too often, as well, do I?"

Hay Lin blinked a few times at this, before lightly chuckling and shook her head.

"Mmm, _nope_ , not really! But boy, you really _do_ have, like, a full _arsenal_ of powers there, don't you? Must be pretty amazing to be an Omega Level mutant," she replied with another smile, her comment intended to be simply good-natured, although it unknowingly caused a momentary twinge of upset to course through Elyon, reminding her once more why it really did continue to bother her to be within possession of so many abilities at once. . . .

Choosing to push those unsettling feelings aside, both mutually levitating girls sailed toward their new point of trajectory with relative confidence, courtesy of Hay Lin continually clearing a path within the fog, and Elyon's previously gleaned information from her closest friend.

* * *

"Hmm . . . pretty clever there, Corny. They're headed this way, just like you said they would," Irma quietly complimented from where she sat, presently crouched down upon both knees and mostly submerged within the surrounding, murky water.

She continued to peer straight down in front of her with an eerily pointed stare, as the water before her curiously projected the very familiar images of Hay Lin and Elyon, who _both_ appeared to be airborne and fast approaching what Irma knew to be their location.

It had admittedly taken the Hydrokinetic mutant a bit of time to even conjure the watery image to begin with, _certainly_ far longer than she personally would have preferred, anyway, but she was still pleased with her efforts all the same . . . especially given that it wasn't an ability she ever really bothered to fully foster before now, either.

As previously requested, Cornelia had remained perfectly still within her place from behind, as Irma apparently needed the surrounding waters to remain as calm as possible in order for her skill to work. Now that they were both fully aware that they would soon have company, Cornelia took a step forward as she began to maneuver around the brunette, causing the previously clear image of their friends to dissipate before completely vanishing.

" _Pretty_ sure I've told you repeatedly never to call me that, but . . . yeah, thanks, I guess," she stated lowly with a brief roll of her eyes before continuing. " _Anyway_ , I just had a feeling that Elyon would naturally try to use her Telepathic abilities to try to find either us, or maybe even our flag somehow, so I purposefully jumbled up my thoughts as best I could in order to at least give her a general vicinity, if not block her completely. . . . Good thing she's seemed to have chosen _my_ mind to read instead of yours, though, since you were in the middle of doing your . . . ' _Hydromancy_ ,' right? Why'd you say it's a stupid ability for? From what I just saw, that was basically like seeing into the future, almost, something I'd think you'd be _thrilled_ about being able to do. Hell, I didn't even know you _could_ do that in the first place – And you were all upset when you first found out about my healing abilities. . . ."

Irma frowned deeply with a dramatic sigh as she allowed the blonde to prematurely break her concentration, before carefully rising to her feet.

"Tch, because it is pretty _stupid_ , that's why. At least, to _me_ , personally. For one thing, I _already_ generally know the ins and outs around here, anyway, so it's hardly 'seeing into the future,' like you said. If I wanna know something, I just _ask_. And secondly, as you so kindly demonstrated, both you, _and_ the water have to remain perfectly still, or else it's kaput," she explained with a dismissive wave of her left hand toward her companion, while simultaneously 'flicking' away excess water from off of her legs and torso with the other via her Hydrokinesis. "Plus, it takes way, way – And I mean, _wayyy_ too long to even get at least a few _seconds_ worth at a time of an image, let alone _maintain_ it. Frankly, we're lucky it even worked at all right now."

"Hmm . . . well, still. I wouldn't count that ability out just yet, though. Look how easily you dried yourself off, there, and made that rolling fog from earlier. I'm pretty sure that, if you really wanted, your Hydromancy could grow into something truly _powerful_ – And, generally knowing how you are when it comes to your gifts, I'm sure that I'm right when I say that," Cornelia respectfully commented before she could stop herself, causing Irma to flash her a slow, but growing, Cheshire Cat like grin as a result. ". . . . W-What the hell's _that_ face for?"

"Takes one to know one, right? Didn't think you noticed me at all, but I guess maybe having to live, _literally_ together now has already rubbed off on ya! Uh huh . . . you like me, I knew it," Irma teased with an added wink, causing the tall blonde to blush profusely, although Irma, herself, truly _was_ rather impressed that it really did appear as though Cornelia did seem to know at least a tiny bit about her nature . . . that is, beyond believing her to be an 'insufferable layabout,' or _whatever_ the Geokinetic girl would habitually refer to her as up to now.

"W-What? N-No, _hardly!_ I just – ! Irma, watch _out!_ "

Before the brunette could even look, let alone properly react, Cornelia was suddenly pushing Irma back down toward the swampy ground, just in time to witness her toppling over _with_ her . . . in addition to an eerie, eggplant tinted mist filling the surrounding area straight above their heads.

"U-Ugh! C-Can't . . . _breathe!_ What _is_ this stuff? M-My head's getting . . . _f-fuzzy!_ " Irma managed in between struggled gasps for air as Cornelia quickly rolled off of her, and both now completely drenched girls immediately placed their hands over their mouths for protection.

". . . . I-I . . . I don't know, but I think it might . . . might have t-to do with _that!_ " she sharply coughed within reply, now using her forearm to cover her nose as she carefully sat up and pointed toward the terrifying sight which now lay before them.

What was previously only occupied by themselves, the immediate area was now suddenly infiltrated by _massive_ , grotesque and apparently plantlike creature, which woefully towered over the duo.

Innumerable, tentacle like tendrils encompassed its _extremely_ intimidating, and round frame, each one whipping about feverishly as it slowly approached.

And unfortunately for both girls, _whatever_ noxious and debilitating gas which had been previously emitted from its saliva filled, and frighteningly gaping maw did not seem to effect _it_ within the slightest, the way that it continued to completely seize them within its mercy by comparison.

"S-Sweet _Jesus!_ I-I'm . . . guessing that _that's_ the . . . 'surprise' the D-Doc . . . had in mind!" Irma cried out within immediate trepidation in between continued gasps for fresh breath, her vision beginning to grow quite cloudy as her mind became incredibly strangled and addled. "W-We've . . . got to . . . clear out this air b-before – "

Before Irma could complete her sentence, both she and Cornelia thankfully witnessed the timely arrival of Elyon and Hay Lin overhead, who immediately sprang into action and cleared away the poisonous gas via her Aerokinetic abilities.

"I-Irma! Cornelia! Are you two _okay?_ W-What the heck is _that_ thing?" the ebony haired teenager asked as she continued to summon up a tunnel of wind, this time directing straight into the side of the emerald colored monstrosity, causing it to successfully teeter . . . however, only for a few short moments.

Elyon let out a sharp grunt as she nonetheless lifted both Cornelia and Irma from out of the water and straight above the creature's head with little to no effort.

" _N-Ngh!_ . . . . What . . . _Whatever_ that thing is, your powers _clearly_ have no effect on it, a-at least not long enough to keep it down, permanently!"

"Well I'm certainly open to suggestions!" Irma cried out with an appreciative nod toward the petite blonde for the levitating rescue, before Elyon gingerly settled the four of them back down onto the ground a few feet away from the tentacled creature.

"I-It _appears_ to be . . . sort of _plant_ based, o-or at least something close to that, right? So maybe we could figure out a way to set it on _fire_ , or something!" Hay Lin openly brainstormed as she struggled to contain her mounting terror, at the same time that Irma lightly shivered at the mention of the at times destructive element which, if not careful, tended to be one of her strongest weaknesses.

"Yeah, sure! Why _not_ go ahead and light a match around the _water_ wielding party member, Hay Lin? _Besides_ , thankfully with all this water around, I highly doubt anything would really catch," she countered with a deep frown, immediately taking a defensive stance in spite of her ongoing intimidation toward the unidentifiable foe, which was now fully erect once more and on the warpath.

As Cornelia watched as Irma swiftly summoned up a column of the surrounding swamp water to ruthlessly collide into the nameless monster, however once again only just managing to subdue it for a mere few seconds, an idea promptly sprung to mind.

" _W-Water!_ That's _it!_ This thing really _is_ presumably one giant plant, right? And plants are generally upwards around ninety to ninety-five percent _water!_ S-So, if we time our attacks just right, Irma, maybe you can . . . I don't know, somehow _extract_ the water which is _inside_ it, destroying it in the process!" she feverishly hypothesized in between successfully just managing to dodge the volley of vicious looking attacks the sinister beast had spewed from out of its snarling mouth.

" _E-Excuse_ me? While I'm honestly _flattered_ you suddenly seem to believe I possess enough juice to do something that _epic_ , it _clearly_ illustrates how much time we've spent together over the years! That's some _super_ , high level concentration there, _especially_ against something this gargantuan, _and_ actively trying to _kill_ all of us!" Irma grunted upon diving back down onto the watery ground, at the same time that one of the colossal being's endless tentacles then stretched out with seemingly never ending length toward both Elyon and herself, and thankfully managed to miss penetrating either one of their _skulls_. "Besides! I've never before bothered to think about messing with _vegetation_ like that – That's _your_ area of expertise! So why don't _you_ try dismantling this thing, yourself? _Bury_ it, or something, I don't care!"

Elyon, who, up until that point, had been primarily focused upon deflecting as many of the monster's attacks as possible via her lesser used Telekinetic abilities, gasped sharply as a newfound idea sprang to mind.

"N-No, wait! You can _both_ do it!" she began with mounting excitement, mentally seizing control of the acidic and green colored deadly waste which had just been spewed from out of the creature's mouth and ruthlessly redirected it back against its body . . . although it yet again did not appear phased within the slightest. "It's _just_ like Doctor Chacon said! We _have_ to stop focusing on what we _can't_ do, and push ourselves out of our comfort zones long enough to see what we _can!_ Hay Lin, you and I will keep this thing – _And_ its attacks – at bay as best we can, while Cornelia, you and Irma summon up both your Geo, _and_ Hydrokinetic abilities in order to take it down, once and for all!"

"A-Are you sure? Like Irma said, I, too, haven't fully -"

"- Cornelia, watch out!" Elyon cried out within alarm, lunging toward the taken aback Cornelia and summoning up the very same teleportation abilities which had once saved her _own_ life in order to now save her best friend's, moving them a few inches over from where the monstrosity had just violently extended a series of its tentacles within a whipping like succession.

As she was about to release the now wildly blushing Cornelia from her grasp, the two of them reappearing from out of the familiar haze of bright, golden light seconds later, Elyon suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream and immediately went rigid, her tiny body vibrating directly over the other girl within immense pain.

" _A-Ahhhh!_ " she shrieked, causing Cornelia to promptly roll out from underneath her body and gaze behind her in order to see what had happened.

Although they had managed to skirt the creature's pommeling efforts seconds before, it, too, appeared to have formulated its own strategy of attack, clearly realizing that _Elyon_ was one of, if not the strongest among them, and sought to completely eliminate her from the equation first.

A single, yet now _very_ noticeable vine, or perhaps another _tentacle_ or sorts, this time hailing from its bottom half had discreetly ushered forth through the murky waters at the same time as the monster's previous onrush . . . and pierced straight into the back of Elyon's upper right shoulder. . . .

"E-Elyon! _No!_ " Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Irma all simultaneously cried out at the sight, Cornelia reaching out to catch the now toppled over and injured Elyon within her arms.

". . . . M-My . . . My _b-body!_ I-It's getting h-harder to . . . to _move!_ " Elyon hissed in between labored breaths of continued pain, which was swiftly becoming replaced by that of an unsettling _numbness_.

Despite this, however, she appeared every bit as determined to defeat the menacing brute, and without hesitation, summoned up her remaining strength in order to lock the creature in place via her waning Telekinetic gifts, at the same time that it began to violently resist.

"N-Nghhh. . . .! _N-Now!_ " Elyon winced with a shaky breath as she managed to wriggle free from Cornelia's protective grasp and raised her good arm out in front of her in order to maintain her psychic hold against their undeniable foe for as long as both her strength, as well as its apparently paralyzing attack would allow.

" _On_ it!" Hay Lin, who had only just returned to the ground seconds before, promptly took to the air once more as she complied, letting out a startled gasp as the acidic like saliva which had once again been released from the monster's mouth prior to being restrained _just_ managed to miss her via her timely, although still mostly involuntarily activated Invisibility power.

". . . . _S-Show_ off," Irma muttered with a playful roll of her eyes as she watched from below, tactfully deploying a lighthearted approach, at least within that particular moment, as a way to ironically help keep her focused upon the task at hand.

Doing so had yet to fail her during her _other_ training simulations, after all, so she wasn't about to deviate from her personal fighting style now, _especially_ not when one of her friends truly needed her.

She didn't get bumped up into one of the more advanced levels for nothing.

. . . . At least, she hoped.

As Hay Lin reappeared seconds later, she took a deep breath, holding it in briefly before violently letting it loose toward the continually struggling monster directly below her. Her companions watched within impressed satisfaction as the previously unseen air which had been released from her lungs ruthlessly rammed into the beast, before suddenly beginning to freeze over and further locked it within its place.

Although it had been her obvious intent to attempt to encapsulate its _entire_ body, Hay Lin had at least managed to do so to its _lower_ half, disabling it at its roots as the newly formed ice successfully _thickened_ , at the same time that Elyon's Telekinetic efforts were beginning to fade.

" _H-Hurry!_ I-I can . . . feel it b-breaking _through!_ " she urged at the same time that her _own_ body was rapidly losing the fight to resist whatever sort of neurotoxin which had been injected into her system.

Without another word uttered by any one of them, both Cornelia, and Irma gazed toward one another with admitted uncertainty at the prospect of possibly attempting something which hadn't previously been done before regarding their respective gifts.

However, as Irma looked up at Hay Lin, whose arms were now both out and quaking within the clearly physical strain it was taking in order to maintain her own clasp upon the creature as best she could, and Cornelia did the same toward a now profusely sweating Elyon crumpled at her side, both girls pushed any lingering doubt far from their minds and summoned up the sheer, raw strength from within.

Taking several deep breaths, Irma sharply held in the last as she raised both arms into the air, her right slightly extended further ahead of her left, as she strained with all of her might against the seemingly unaffected monstrosity.

At first, nothing appeared to be happening, just as she privately expected, _regardless_ of her willingness to achieve the previously unachievable.

However, after a few more moments of silent prayer, focus, and coaxing to dig as deep as she possibly could within herself as never before, Irma nearly began to cry within utter jubilation as all four of them watched, within undeniable awe, as the towering and honestly once _plump_ monster slowly, but surely began to become quite _withered_ within appearance. . . .

 _I-It's working! Holy hell, i-it's actually working!_ the brunette mused with widened eyes, beads of her own sweat forming and trickling down her forehead as she continued to enforce her entire will upon the now screeching creature, whose entire body was now eerily shriveling up as its water was being drained away, as though through an invisible straw.

As Irma continued to channel the full force of her Hydrokinetic gifts, _somehow_ successfully unlocking a completely new side to it which she had never before realized was possible, Cornelia, too, simultaneously began to unleash her _own_ mutant abilities alongside her.

Having hunkered back down into the boggy water, now completely on all fours, Cornelia promptly ignored the squishy feeling of the damp earth submerged underneath, a sensation which still privately bothered her every bit today as it had the very first time she'd attempted to manipulate the ground during a rainstorm, during one of her earlier training sessions a few years back.

It was one of the reasons she'd strongly disliked going into this particular simulation the moment Doctor Chacon had programmed it, after all . . . that, as well as the fact that she was otherwise _terrified_ of water - Or, more specifically, _swimming_ in it, a religiously maintained secret which thankfully only _Elyon_ appeared to be aware of.

It certainly made it a bit _ironic_ , anyhow, considering that she was now being forced to share a dorm room with an individual who could direct _control_ said element. . . .

Further pushing any and all conflicting feelings aside, as she normally would whenever needing to take care of the task at hand, Cornelia began gritting her teeth as she summoned up every last ounce of power within her, beckoning the surrounding earth to bend to her will.

Her mind then took a surprising detour as she suddenly focused upon her folly earlier that week and the _fear_ it had invoked, for once choosing to finally, and _fully_ embrace her mistake and how it made her feel head on, instead channeling it into something constructive . . . or rather, _destructive_.

Instead of thinking about Irma as she had originally done that day and how infuriated it had made her, Cornelia began to think about _Elyon_ – No, their companions as a _whole_ , and of her great desire to protect all of them. . . .

Within no time at all, Cornelia began to feel the familiar sensations of the earth vibrating beneath her feet as she continued to focus all her strength, visualizing the ground ripping open within her mind as she then squeezed her blue eyes shut.

Just as Elyon's Telekinetic hold had at last completely dissipated, falling onto her side and into the turbid water within an exhausted and fully paralyzed heap, Cornelia hadn't any time to react to it as she normally might have, as her Geokinetic abilities had right then completely taken over.

The surrounding water, or rather, the earth within Cornelia's immediate vicinity began to emit a familiar glow of emerald as it emanated from her continually opened and submerged hands, with small but swiftly growing fractures within the ground shuttering forth from her now curled fingertips and straight toward the shrieking monster.

Although now completely free from both Elyon's, as well as Hay Lin's restraints, as the raven haired Aerokinetic also now found herself drained of her energy and began to plummet toward the ground as a dangerous consequence, the creature appeared to be a _literal_ shell of what it once was, as at least half its body was now successfully desiccated and resembled that of a raisin having shriveled away within the hot sun.

Both Irma, as well as Cornelia let out cries of frustration together, willing themselves to 'ignore' their now incapacitated comrades in order to give one final push, as Irma, who was now down onto her knees within her own exhaustion, continued to extract as much of the life giving liquid from her foe's body as possible, while Cornelia's literally earth shattering assault had just then reached its target.

Irma felt her limbs completely give out at the same time seconds later, also unable to maintain what little balance she precariously held onto due to the violent tremors which continued to envelop her; however, it didn't appear to have mattered, as the already partially defeated monstrosity just then received its coup de gras, as the ground beneath it fully crumbled away before immediately swallowing it whole.

Before it could have made any attempts to resist, Cornelia, with one final grunt, redirected her Geokinetic abilities toward resealing the now torn apart ground as swiftly as she could, closing up the targeted area where the beast had once stood and burying it, presumably, for _good_. . . .

". . . . U-Ugh," Cornelia groaned, now completely spent as she blindly fell forward, face first into the quaggy swamp water . . . at the same time that the simulation curiously disappeared, and the familiar setting of the metallic, blank walls of the Danger Room once again enveloped the quartet.

"W-Well _done_ , girls! You did it! You _did_ it!" Doctor Chacon congratulated within a mixture of profound pride, as well as understandable concern as she swiftly approached seconds later, having evidently left the safety of the control room in order to better attend to her partially wounded students. "H-Here! Lie still, all of you, and regather your strength. . . ."

As Cornelia managed to slowly roll onto her back in between heaving inhales, only just catching a quick glimpse of her instructor as she passed overhead, she asked weakly, "I-Is . . . Is everyone okay? _E-Elyon_ . . . Is Elyon all right, as well?"

"M-Mmm . . . I'm d-down . . . but not out," Elyon's voice could be heard from behind the taller blonde where she continued to lay, at the same time that Doctor Chacon settled down next to her in order to give her a physical examination.

"No . . . No, you won't be, will you, as while obviously menacing, I'd programmed the monster's crippling effects to be temporary. So while it might last no more than say, five, maybe even ten minutes for another individual, for one so powerful as _yourself_ , there, Elyon, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it only lasted for another few _seconds_. . . . Still, I'm sure you'll still feel a bit of residual effects as you try to sit up, so _do_ take it easy," the skilled pediatrician explained soothingly, understanding the obvious concern the Omega Level mutant would presently possess over having been rendered immobile, however temporary. "Professor Starlighter and I can give you a more thorough examination inside the infirmary after this to help put your mind at ease even further, however."

". . . . N-No matter how many times I've experienced these Danger Room sessions, regardless of level, I personally _still_ can never quite get over just how _real_ everything inside becomes – _Especially_ the pain," Elyon whimpered with a faint smile toward the redhead hovering over her, her insides flooding with utter relief over the rapidly returning feeling of . . . _anything_ , as the now defeated creature's paralyzing attack really _was_ already wearing off.

For once, it made her feel a little _less_ alienated to possess such tremendous abilities, by comparison to those around her. . . .

" _Tell_ me about it, Elles," Irma exhaled gruffly as she, too, gingerly rose to her feet with the help of a much more recovered Hay Lin, who then wrapped both arms around her within an affectionate and appreciative embrace. "B-But yeah, that's right. I just totally saved the day back there by _literally_ sucking the life straight out of that . . . _God_ awful thing. No biggie."

" _Yeah_ , you did! That was so _awesome_ , Irma! And here, you were so worried about my _measly_ invisibility powers, when it seems like _you've_ just unlocked a whole new side to your own!" Hay Lin pointed out in between tired giggles, releasing the now slightly blushing Irma in order to give her a high five of approval.

". . . . Yep, because it was all one hundred percent _Irma_ there, but sure," Cornelia mumbled to herself as she managed to sit up with a quick roll of her eyes, wiping away the phantom sensations of the previously simulated mud against her now well worn training uniform, before then turning her attention onto a now warmly smiling Elyon. "I'm _so_ glad you're all right, now, though, Elyon. _And_ I'm so glad that I – _We_ all managed to defeat that beast together, just like you said. . . ."

Elyon shook her head at this as Doctor Chacon gently moved aside in order to let her student carefully crawl closer toward an awaiting Cornelia.

"No, that's not true. I mean, all I did was remind everyone of _Doctor Chacon's_ own words, remember? I'm just thankful that it worked, like you said. . . ."

"Fair enough, Elyon, but hearing it come from _you_ , the apparent glue which managed to unite you and your friends together, is clearly what really did the trick, _and_ managed to awaken a strength within each of you you never before believed was possible, until now," Doctor Chacon kindly remarked with a broad smile as she watched both Hay Lin and Irma approach, as well. "You'd managed to do everything I had asked of you, and _then_ some. Well done, again. . . ."

Irma paused a moment, before a realization then dawned on her.

"Thanks for that, Doctor Chacon, but . . . we really _didn't_ , though. I mean, didn't' you want us to go up against _each other,_ instead, and capture the flags you'd also programmed into the simulation? You ended it before we'd even gotten the chance to go toe to toe," she stated with a light frown of reflection, as Hay Lin, too, also nodded within agreement next to her.

Doctor Chacon then flashed each of her students a curious sort of grin as she asked, "Oh, did I? You should know by now to always be ready for the _unexpected_ , Irma, just like in real life. I wanted to see what you all were capable of during a _truly_ stressful situation, and I have . . . _with_ the added bonus of implementing one of my favorite role playing game enemies for a much added _zing_ , is all. . . ."

" _T-That_ was one of your favorite enemies? My gosh! I'd hate to ever encounter one of your _least_ , or outright play _whatever_ game that that monster had come from! A-And here I thought _I_ had pretty peculiar interests," Hay Lin rapidly blinked with a renewed shiver at the returned memory of the simulated foe, before joining suit within the light chuckles her words had managed to elicit from the remaining women surrounding her.

After a few more moments of reveling within their well earned victory, Doctor Chacon gently clapped her minuscule sized hands together as she announced, with yet another smile, "All right! Class, dismissed! We will _definitely_ pick up where we left off next week, as I'm sure you undoubtedly have even _more_ questions about everything you'd just accomplished together – Especially _you_ , Irma, and having unlocked your Chlorokinetic gifts, there, one of my _own_ favorite abilities, mmhm! Get cleaned up, enjoy the rest of your day, and _Elyon_ , I will meet you within the infirmary in five minutes or so, all right? See you, ladies!"

"W-Wait, _what_ now? 'Chloro-whosits?' Is _that_ what I just did? Is that really what _you_ can do, too? How come I never knew this before? _Did_ I know this before? Where have I _been_ this whole time?" Irma fired off an onslaught of inquiries to really no one in particular, despite the obvious topic of discussion, as Doctor Chacon was already swiftly retreating with a knowing sort of smirk etched across her tawny complexion, while Hay Lin began to lead the way out of the emptying Danger Room.

"Maybe because you might've been only focused on the more _blatant_ applications to your gifts this entire time, I guess? Don't feel bad, though, Irma: I also didn't even think of possibly attempting to _freeze_ things with my own breath until maybe like, the second or third month after my gifts had first manifested and – O-Oh, _sorry!_ " the Aerokinetic teenager offered up with an apologetic grin upon catching the brunette's unappreciative, although fleeting glare as the dirtied pair continued to exit the previously sealed room ahead of the two remaining blondes.

Shaking her head within mild amusement as she watched them go, Cornelia then promptly turned her attention back onto her previously incapacitated best friend and asked, with blatant concern, "D-Do you want me to go with you to the infirmary, Elyon? You know that I don't mind. . . ."

Elyon smiled gently at the taller girl standing before her and shook her head, reaching out to cup her hand within her own and lightly squeezed.

"You're sweet, as always, Cornelia, but no. I'll be fine, I think. I really _do_ feel a whole lot better now, although I will still go and get checked out just in case. After all, tonight's the big night, and I'd rather not have to stay home on account of any unforeseen injury, you know?" she responded in kind, releasing her friend's hand before gently beginning to rub at where the creature had managed to stick her earlier. " _Gosh_ , did that really feel so real – _Every_ time, right? The technology Oracle has managed to construct inside here really _is_ so amazing. . . ."

Cornelia could only nod as her initial response, her mind _somehow_ managing to rapidly shift from her ongoing concern for her best friend's well being, to her previous concern over having forgotten to properly ask the other girl to Karmilla's rock concert.

 _. . . . Well, although it's absolutely far from the ideal setting you'd originally envisioned, it's now or never, Cornelia_ , she mentally urged herself, taking deep, rhythmic breaths in order to further steel herself, feeling far more rattled by _this_ than she had during the entirety of her previous battle with the thankfully now defeated monster, hands down.

". . . . Y-Yeah, so, _about_ that – T-The concert, I mean. I have _no_ idea how I completely let it slip from my mind to ask if . . . you know, if maybe we were going _together_ – As a _group_ , of course," Cornelia tried her best to maintain her normally cool head, throwing in a light shrug for added effect as the pair just then passed through the sliding doors of the now abandoned Danger Room. "I mean, obviously, you know that I'm not really big on Karmilla's music, so we've never really talked much about her concert in all this time, until now, I guess. But since I _did_ decide to go, anyway, I just naturally assumed that you and I would go together . . . like we _usually_ do for things, is all."

Believing to have successfully covered her tracks by pointing out that last particular statement, as it _was_ true that the duo really would do a great many activities together throughout the years, Cornelia was nonetheless surprised to watch Elyon's face grow pink with curious abashment, as she then suddenly stopped short.

"O-Oh, _gosh!_ I-I mean, I don't . . . I don't even know how _I'd_ completely forgotten to tell _you_ ," she began with a sheepish smile, momentarily averting her eyes away from the taller girl, before looking back up at her and continuing, "but I, um . . . kinda, sorta . . . have a _date_. . . ."

Cornelia felt her heart immediately being torn in two upon hearing the _incredibly_ unexpected news, although somehow feeling more so _betrayed_ rather than sorrowful, as this really _was_ news to her.

After all, Elyon, much like Cornelia, herself, had remained rather single for majority of their time together at _both_ schools, although, at least within Cornelia's case, it had been more so by _choice_ , for obvious reasons . . . at least, only to herself.

Sure, there had been random 'so and so's' here and there, with even more admirers to potentially choose from, _particularly_ back at Bayville (despite the blonde's admittedly at times intimidating presence); however, none of them could, or ever _would_ compare to the wonderfully kind and remarkable person standing right before her. . . .

And, as for Elyon, herself, while every bit as attractive as Cornelia, honestly more so (at least, within Cornelia's own personal opinion), she had always been far too self conscious about herself, and _especially_ of her multitude of capabilities as an incredibly powerful mutant to ever really put herself out there . . . until _now_ , apparently.

". . . . Y-You do, do you? Oh . . . w—wow! _Really_ ," Cornelia tried her best to sound every bit as thrilled for her friend as she deserved, although her face clearly seemed to give her away as Elyon immediately looked absolutely crestfallen. "Oh, n—no, Elyon, don't worry about it! I really _am_ happy for you about it! It's your first date, after all! I just . . . well, this is _literally_ the first I'm even hearing of it, _and_ just hours away from the actual concert, to boot, that's all. . . ."

Elyon perked up at this, if only a tiny bit as she slightly nodded within understanding, gently kicking at the metallic ground beneath her feet as she began to properly explain.

"I-I know, and I _really_ am sorry about that, Cornelia . . . but that's because it kind of _happened '_ justhours before the actual concert,' as well," she started cryptically, before taking a deep breath in order to continue. "O-Okay, so . . . do you know that new guy – Well, maybe not _so_ new, since he's been in Bayville since the middle of this past summer, he said, now? Caleb Cipes? Yeah, well, I don't know if you remember or not, but he and I share Philosophy together, and . . . he just sort of . . . asked me this morning, after class. . . ."

". . . . And you obviously said yes," Cornelia finished with a low, defeated exhale, although she faked a teasing smile upon her face within that moment.

Fake, and quite honestly not one of her better works, but appropriately 'teasing,' all the same.

Elyon, ever the trusting companion, appeared to have taken the bait, regardless, as she let out a soft giggle of continued embarrassment at the sight, and nodded.

"Y-Yes, I did, although, honestly, I was every bit as surprised about it as I'm sure _you_ are right now," she responded, tucking a stray strand of her now very loose, and lopsided bun behind her ear. "I mean, he and I have spoken _before_ now, obviously, although it was really more so for our assignments, or in class discussions, you know? And, I'll admit, we _did_ seem to have a _few_ things in common before all this, but . . . I didn't really think he'd noticed me like that. . . ."

"And _I_ didn't even know that you'd noticed _him_ like that, yourself – Thanks for that, by the way," Cornelia once again managed to jest, falling back into the role of supporting best friend with greater ease now that her habitual, emotionally concealing mask had been placed securely back over her heart.

Seeming to no longer sense any potential tension lingering between them, Elyon completely relaxed and chuckled some more, as the girls resumed their walk toward the infirmary.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, again! But, to be even more honest, I didn't even really fully realize I maybe might . . . _like_ Caleb until he was in the middle of asking me out this morning. You know how completely _hopeless_ I've always been about affairs of the heart – Not at all like _you_ , 'Miss Picky Aphrodite,'" she stated ironically with a broad smile and nod. "I-It was just like . . . I don't know. Like a jolt of _lightning_ or something suddenly hitting me once I _did_ realize that I might . . . have a _crush_ on him. And then . . . well, after we parted ways, I _did_ immediately feel guilty about it, because I did figure that you and I would just go with a couple of our other friends like you said, but . . . seeing as you never really did seem all that enthusiastic about Karmilla's concert this entire time, and don't really like her, herself, as you'd just pointed out, I thought -"

"- What would be the harm in taking a chance and going with a cute guy, instead, right? No, no, I totally understand . . . seriously," Cornelia finished her friend's train of thought with a convincing nod of agreement, hesitating a moment before wrapping an arm around her for good measure. "Frankly, _I'd_ have done the same, myself. . . . Well, maybe _not_ , but who am I to stand in the way of a potential love connection, eh? _Especially_ someone as . . . _hot_ as Caleb Cipes. I've seen him around, yeah, obviously, and have Russian and Gym Class with him. Pretty serious and a bit _too_ by the book, if you ask me, but whatever floats your boat!"

As the familiar doors to the infirmary came into view, Elyon shook her head with a playful roll of her eyes as she stated, " _Sure_ , yeah! If anything, he totally sounds more like _your_ type, huh? Or like, maybe a _male_ version of you, almost, then! _Anyway_ , I'm really, really glad you're okay with me going with him instead of you, tonight. I-I . . . I'd really like to see where this might go, if anywhere, you know?"

 _Keep it together, Cornelia. . . . Keep it together_ , the Geokinetic blonde mentally chanted as she did her best to ignore the honest marvel which was Elyon's ongoing density.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I still won't be there. I've gotta have _some_ good material to make fun of you _both_ over, right? All about your very first date together, during my speech at your future _wedding!_ " she jested, admittedly laying it on thick as she released a now profusely blushing Elyon and nodded toward the infirmary's doors. "Now, go on. You make sure you get your _absolutely_ clean bill of health before tonight, all right? . . . . Wouldn't want anything to stand in the way of true love."

No longer feeling like she could take much more of the rather disturbing conversation, Cornelia flashed Elyon as calming a smile as possible before uncharacteristically leaving the scene before another word could have been uttered, nor without nonetheless accompanying her inside as she was originally going to, in spite of previously agreeing that she didn't need to.

She knew that she was probably risking at least a fraction's worth of suspicion for having done so; however, after having faced off against one of the more personally challenging Danger Room simulations to date, followed by getting unexpectedly _slammed_ by the very last thing she ever wanted to hear, Cornelia didn't think she had it within her to maintain her cool much longer than that.

In all honesty, she would have preferred to face off against an entire room _filled_ with _whatever_ creature that had been, in lieu of ever having to face the fact that not only did that _bastard_ , Caleb, beat her to the punch of officially asking Elyon to go to Karmilla's rock concert tonight, but that he, too, apparently had feelings for her.

Worse yet, that _Elyon_ apparently had feelings for _him_.

 _Strong_ ones, even, and growing. . . .

". . . . God, could this day _get_ any worse?" Cornelia muttered to herself with heart breaking bitterness on her way toward the awaiting elevators, as she purposefully avoided heading into the nearby locker room and shower area, lest Hay Lin or, worse yet, _Irma_ still be inside getting cleaned up before their next class.

So much for things looking up. . . .

****\- End of Chapter Seven** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty satisfied with the premiere of the Danger Room, as well as the girls' first featured training session. :) Eager to try out other sessions in future! 
> 
> Hopefully Chapter Eight will be out within the week or so, so please stay tuned and review, if not already! :)


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special Dedication: Rest in peace, Stan Lee. Thank you for graciously sharing the creations of your wonderfully talented mind. . . .
> 
> This chapter ended up turning into thirty-four pages, in addition to becoming a MASSIVE headache due to the honest 'real time,' or 'single-camera' shooting effect I was trying to achieve later on (which you'll soon read), so I would truly, TRULY appreciate active reviews this time on whether or not it was enjoyed, please.
> 
> Even with my usual, admittedly mind-aching editing, I'm sure that I'd still managed to miss some things, which will of course greatly vex me later on to NO end to have realized. . . .
> 
> Still, SOMEHOW, I'd managed to complete this chapter, in between 'Tornado Babies' doing their usual 'Pay attention to me, Mummy!' routine. =)
> 
> At any rate, please enjoy this really, really long chapter, and Happy Holidays/Happy New Year!
> 
> \---
> 
> This chapter was created/written in November 2018, and completed in December 2018.
> 
> \---

_Dear Diary,_

_. . . . I don't even know where to begin, really. I've kept other diaries before, sure, but they were all mostly about the typical goings on within my otherwise typical teenage life._

_But now, now my every day is anything but 'typical,' and I'm pretty sure that I, myself, am far from a typical teenager, as well._

_At least, that's how I still personally feel, anyway. You know . . . about being a mutant._

_But . . . the thing is, though, I find myself not really feeling, well, as isolated and terrified as I initially did when I first found out about being one just a few weeks ago._

_Well, no, I do still find it pretty out of this world, and it is._

_And I'm still pretty upset with my mom and dad about keeping all of this from me, and for the entire sixteen years of my present existence, no less._

_I expected nothing less from my dad, I guess, since he hasn't really been a big part of my life to begin with, and I know that my mom was maybe probably pretty scared and didn't know how to handle having to tell me one day._

_I know that I'd be pretty beside myself if I was the non-mutant, while my kid suddenly had all these powers and I had to somehow figure out how to still be a good parent and tell them about it. . . ._

_Because I mean, how many other people can say that they can shoot literal lightning from their fingertips whenever they want, just by thinking about it?_

_Well, I personally can't really do that yet, myself - The 'whenever they want' part, but I have been working on it._

_A lot, actually . . . but in secret._

_Not really 'in secret,' I guess, since all of us here at the institute-slash-mansion are meant to be actively practicing our mutant . . . gifts (as we're encouraged to view them), alongside our regular schoolwork whenever we get a chance._

_And how 'insane' is that? All of us here have some pretty serious firepower and are honest to God superheroes, really, yet we still have to deal with handing in our homework on time, and studying for finals and what not._

_. . . . Still, I do have to say that, if I had to be shipped off to some secret mutant school in order to learn more about my abilities, I think I could have done worse than ending up at 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters.'_

_Wait._

_Is there even another mutant school out there which presently exists besides this one?_

_Anyway, yeah, this place really isn't so bad . . . so far, I guess._

_I do still miss my home, my old bedroom, and . . . my mom, especially, of course, but I can at least still talk to her whenever I want or need to, and check in._

_And . . . considering that that's how all of this first started to begin with, that's a very good thing._

_But she seems to be at one hundred percent, still, as though nothing had ever happened. That I, um . . . had accidentally electrocuted her. . . ._

_That's my power, see, did I already mention?_

_Kinda, I guess, but I never said the actual name for it._

_God, is this entry all over the place, but I guess considering the special topic of discussion, I suppose I can be forgiven. . . ._

_Well, anyhow, evidently, I'm now known as an 'Electrokinetic,' which means that I'm able to control all forms of lightning, as well as electromagnetic forces._

_Or, at least, so I've been taught and informed of so far from my new professors here at the institute._

_I still don't fully understand all of it yet, myself, but it has only been a week so far into my official new life here in Bayville._

_I do know for sure that water's definitely no longer my best friend, anymore - At least, for now, according to Professor Clarkson and Professor Lin, who both teach my 'Elemental Manipulation 101' class interchangeably, where we learn all about how to . . . well, manipulate our powers, if they're nature based, at least._

_They've both taught me that one day (although they don't honestly know when since it varies from person to person, those with Electrokinetic abilities like mine) I might be able to sustain any sort of possible injury if I'd ever come into contact with water while actively using my powers._

_And trust me when I say that that's some of the best news I've received while living here so far, considering that this place has an Olympic sized swimming pool, and I . . . used to be on a swim team back in Heatherfield, Maine, where my home with my mom is._

_The professors did also say that I actually can still do things normally again like take a bubble bath or shower, or even swim right now at this stage of the game . . . I just have to obviously be careful not to activate my gifts while doing any of those things._

_And considering how jumpy I still am around the liquid (and not to mention already got what is evidently known as 'Shorted Out' my first day here, as a result of having come into direct contact with the stuff at the same time that I was using my electricity), I'm not in any rush to go jumping off of the diving board, or take a long soak within the bathtub._

_I guess I'll just have to stick to the baby wipes I've secretly been using every day since my powers first manifested, in lieu of the shower until then. And thank God for bottled water, or else I don't think I'd be able to dare brushing my teeth, even, since I'm also still too apprehensive to turn on the faucet and rinse my mouth out the old fashioned way afterward. . . ._

_But anyway . . . speaking of 'Shorting Out,' it'd taken nearly most of this week, but my abilities did finally come back. I originally couldn't care less if they ever did, even willing to go through that . . . incredibly painful process all over again, if it meant being without my . . . gifts, if only temporarily. (Still a little odd here and there to refer to my electrical powers that way, but at least I can . . . and I am. . . .)_

_But as I've been learning here . . . I guess they're just now a part of who I am, and since there is no other way to get rid of them permanently, I just have to get used to them, learn to control them, and maybe, even one day, love them. . . ._

_I mean, I don't, no._

_Nowhere near that yet, obviously. It has only been one week so far, you know?_

_But I have been able to stop, think about the fact that yes . . . I am a mutant now, or, always have been, rather, which merely means that I can do things that most other people can't._

_I'm still me, more or less, at the end of the day._

_I still have a fierce love and respect for animals._

_I still am kind of on the disorganized side, especially when it comes to my bedroom . . . which means that I've already managed to more or less 'destroy' this incredibly fancy and massive dorm room I've been assigned to upon my arrival._

_And I'm still a bit on the shy side and am hesitant to go rushing into new friendships . . . although that side of me, for whatever reason, hasn't so far really seemed to be as profound as it's always been, especially back in Heatherfield._

_I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm living in a ritzy mansion, which also doubles as a built-in school with hundreds of other kids who are also pretty much 'just like me' . . . and for once it isn't just a saying._

_A lot of them probably were right where I am right now, feeling unsure of how to move forward within their own lives, as if it wasn't already hard enough beforehand._

_In fact, I know this to be true, as quite a fair amount of my new and fellow housemates have already casually divulged this otherwise normally safeguarded information with me in passing, all while continuing to be so . . . freakishly welcoming to me as the 'new girl.'_

_So . . . I guess, I just don't feel so alone this time around._

_Third time's the charm, right? That is, this is technically my third school I've been to, with the one back in Heatherfield, 'Sheffield Institute,' being the absolute worst . . . but all that drama had already been vented about to death within my last diary which, come to think about it some more, was probably one of the contributing reasons I'd stopped keeping one to begin with, until now._

_Besides, with a new beginning and new diary has even come new, actual relationships._

_That is, I think that I might have already made an official, legitimate new friend, with no strings attached or sinister plot twists behind the scenes like before. . . ._

_Nope. That's in the past, now, and again, already written about in my other diary. I'm determined to keep this one just focused on chronicling my newfound journey as a mutant._

_Anyway, as I was saying, I guess you could say that I've kinda made 'friends' with a few other people this week, mostly here, but also a few back at my other new school, 'Bayville High School.' (Yep, that's right. I have to go to two schools while I'm here, so unfair. It's a long story, though, so don't ask. At least, not for now.)_

_But I'm not really sure yet if they actually are the real deal, like, "Hey, you're totally my best friend!" sort of thing._

_Then again, I've never had a best friend before . . . never had the experience nor opportunity, until now, maybe. . . .?_

_Her name is Taranee Cook, and she's really sweet and really smart, but pretty shy at times, just like me. (Whoa. I know, kind of a mouthful right there, but I guess . . . I'm just pretty excited about this. Can't you tell?)_

_And we both like a lot of the same things, too, and even what we don't, we can still talk about, no problem, and even learn a thing or two._

_I first met her just the other day during my first attendance of my 'Elemental Manipulation 101' class with Professor Clarkson, and we'd honestly just sorta . . . super clicked right away._

_I would say that maybe it's mostly because she's pretty new here, herself, having only just enrolled a little over a month ago from Connecticut, she told me (which also makes our presumable connection that much cooler, since we've been 'neighbors' this whole time, both being close by East Coasters and all)._

_But, I don't know. I feel like it's much more than that._

_Oh, don't get me wrong. It definitely helps hanging out with someone who's been here long enough to at least know where everything generally is around this seemingly never-ending place._

_But besides that, everything is still pretty new to Taranee, as well, so we're just kinda . . . experiencing it all together, and getting through it, so to speak, I guess._

_It's certainly made adjusting, and even . . . openly confessing any lingering doubts and outright fears a whole lot easier, anyway, instead of either keeping it to myself like I usually would, or now having to express them during the weekly therapy sessions we're apparently 'required' to take while we're here. (It's just another way for all of us to make sure we keep better control over our gifts, I guess. At least, according to the woman who runs it, Doctor Chacon. She's a pediatrician with admittedly extensive knowledge of 'Developmental Psychology,' she'd explained and I could totally tell, even from just that one session with her. At least she does seem really nice and laid back and all, though, but . . . having to emote, and right away to yet another adult - A stranger, isn't exactly my favorite pastime.)_

_Taranee just . . . gets it, you know?_

_Probably even more so than I do, since she has an actual phobia attached to her specific mutant abilities._

_She's Thermokinetic, which means that she can control and manipulate the heat of objects around her to whatever she likes . . . or kind of can, since like I said, she's also pretty new to all of this like I am._

_But see, she's also pretty afraid of fire, ever since the last two houses she'd lived in accidentally went up, you know? So she's been spending a lot of her time while here trying to somehow minimize her fears, if not banish them completely, while also praying like the dickens that her abilities never grow into full blown Pyrokinesis . . . which Professor Clarkson already informed her that it very well could. (And considering she, herself, was, or is still Thermokinetic-slash-Pyrokinetic for the past forty years or so, I would say she knows what she's talking about.)_

_Still, Taranee's been so amazing about everything, though._

_She personally thinks that her phobia's been setting her back, in spite of all the progress she's been making since her enrollment, but I think she's doing just fine. And so do all of our professors, as well, actually._

_More than 'just fine,' really. She's honestly one of the bravest people I've ever met so far in my life, being able to have this ability, and own both it and her fear directly relating to it on a daily basis like that._

_Which is why she's been giving me the courage to push forward even more with my own hesitations. We're both in the same boat right now, after all, and if Taranee can do it (even though she sometimes thinks she can't, and really hasn't been) then so can I._

_It's why I've been practicing on the side, like I mentioned earlier._

_Now that my Electrokinesis is back, I'd really rather not like to keep having . . . 'Flare Ups,' as I now personally call them._

_Yeah, whenever I get nervous or stressed out about something now, I keep setting off my abilities without even trying, causing my body to become one giant conductor, really._

_I even managed to give myself a bad case of static electricity within my hair yesterday, and I was just stuck on a math equation. I totally ended up looking like a porcupine by the time I'd realized what I was . . . subconsciously doing, too._

_Thankfully I was alone here within the 'safety' of my bedroom, though, so I didn't actually hurt anyone, or myself . . . just my hairstyle, which is generally on the messy side, anyway._

_Still, imagine if that'd happened back at Bayville, where so far I've been under the radar and just thought of as the '_ _regular, run-of-the-mill_ _new kid.'_

_So that's why I've been doing . . . exercises, I guess, after all of my school work and classes are done with each day. I mean, it's really just doing what our professors have told us to do, anyway, like I said, but I guess you could say that I'm sort of going above and beyond._

_Kinda like 'extra credit,' perhaps._

_Nothing too special or even fancy . . . which I honestly couldn't do right now, anyway, since I'm still at like, 'Level Negative Fifty' or something, skill wise._

_Still, if I'm not practicing with Taranee, who's totally been a great sport about it (you know, since my electricity is technically an advanced form of fire, as she was so 'kind' to point that out when we first met), I've sort of developed a routine I do at bedtime._

_So far, I'm kind of able to willfully generate electricity from my fingertips, now, and can also sort of form a very, very tiny ball of it, even._

_It's still pretty nerve-wracking sometimes to even do this, seeing the hands I've known since day one suddenly crackling and sparking with a force which should normally kill me._

_But . . . it's also slowly, yet surely becoming something . . . out of this world, but in a good way._

_I haven't met any other Electrokinetic students here yet, but I do wonder what they can do, and what I'll possibly be able to do, myself, one day._

_Speaking of, I should probably find another place to practice which is far less flammable than . . . well, majority of the stuff within my bedroom, really. . . ._

_Anyway, I'd better get going, now._

_I . . . invited Taranee to sleep over in my room tonight._

_Yeah. See what I mean about my actually putting myself out there far more here than back in Heatherfield, already?_

_Ironic._

_But maybe living here really will be for the best, though. . . ._

_Stay tuned for that, and see you soon, Diary._

_Yours Truly,_

_Will_

Feeling pretty satisfied with her premiere entry within her latest private journal to date, Will carefully closed the frog themed ledger in front of her at her desk and released a soft exhale of contentment.

All in all, it really wasn't too bad a literary introduction into her newfound path as a mutant, if she could be honest . . . even if she truthfully didn't obviously have anything else to compare it against.

Still, at least it was so far becoming what Will was hoping it'd would, which was cathartic, getting every last private thought and feeling out of her without any sort of judgment . . . although so far, anyway, having to also share her feelings with Doctor Chacon didn't seem too bad, either.

But it had only been one therapy session so far, after all, as well. So who knew how things might change later on?

Until then, all of that was now temporarily behind Will, as she, as just written within her diary, had to finish preparing for her slumber party with Taranee . . . which really only amounted to simply waiting for the other girl to show up, in all actuality, seeing as the redhead had already made sure to make certain everything was tidied up and squared away prior to having plunked down at her desk to write her first entry.

If only her mom could see her right now, having willingly cleaned up her bedroom without being asked, and practically on the edge of her seat at the prospect of having her very first sleepover with an actual friend. . . .

It actually made Will pretty relieved that the older woman _was_ absent, actually, as she was quite confident her mother would have undoubtedly taken an insufferable amount of pictures all while making too large a deal out of the entire thing.

Still, Will really was excited for tonight.

And it was perfect timing, as well, considering that it was the big night of Karmilla's rock concert down at _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_ , evidently, with half of Bayville's youth heading there within attendance.

And considering that this meant that the mansion was going to be pretty empty, presumably, at least both Will and Taranee would be able to keep one another company now, seeing as neither girl was able to purchase a ticket on time to attend the concert, themselves.

At least, Taranee had wanted to, anyway, as she'd confessed to enjoying Karmilla's style of music, and had been rather disappointed that she had arrived within Bayville too late to buy a ticket.

As for Will, herself, while she, too, didn't find the band to be too bad, either, she probably would have never attempted to go to the concert even if she had been able, as she naturally wouldn't have wanted to go alone, having no friends, and all.

Or, that's probably how it would have gone down for her had all of this been going on back in Heatherfield, anyway.

Here, she'd like to think that if either one of them had moved to Bayville early enough, Will might have asked Taranee to tag along with her to the concert.

Maybe next time.

For now, at least, Will had her sleepover to look forward to, which would presumably be chock full of junk food eating, movie watching, and Internet surfing, including probably watching a few old Karmilla music videos posted on _YouTV_ , making it their own private concert in the process.

That is, once Taranee arrived.

As though on cue which, considering how punctual Will had already noticed about her newfound companion being, there came the familiar rapping upon her sealed bedroom door, causing Will to promptly rise from her desk chair within initial eagerness, before forcing herself to calm down as she made her way across the spacious bedroom.

Taking a deep breath, Will released it roughly at the same time she pulled open the door and smiled at a similarly grinning Taranee, who was already cutely dressed within her pajamas.

". . . . Well, I mean, we do live in the same place, after all, and I usually already get ready for bed around this time, anyway, so I just figured I'd save some time," she readily explained with a shy smile upon having evidently caught sight of Will's amused stare regarding her present attire. "But I see you've decided to go the opposite route, huh?"

Looking down at her own clothes and taking renewed note that she was still dressed within the clothing she'd worn for that school day, Will lightly shrugged as she widened the door to allow the other girl to pass through as she replied, "Uh, yeah, I guess so. But I mean, it _is_ still only seven-fifteen, right? What's the rush?"

"'Rush' being the operative word, indeed," Taranee countered with a light blush of mild embarrassment, before inclining her short, pigtail styled head toward the commotion carrying on outside of the hallway and toward the foyer area, causing both girls to exit Will's dorm room in order to get a better look. "It's like going to _prom_ or something around here all day, today - Or, at least, you know. How I assume it might be like to go to prom in a few years time, possibly, anyway. What I mean to say is, everyone's just been pretty excited about tonight's concert, that's all."

Will couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her new friend's flustered nature, something both girls had been mutually sharing off and on during their ongoing and fast forming friendship, despite how close they'd already seemed to become.

Clearly the concept of possibly having a potential 'best friend' was as invigorating, yet terrifying to Taranee as it was to Will . . . which only made Will like her even more.

"Yeah, I hear you, no worries. Still sucks that you and I can't go, but I'm sure later on someone will undoubtedly record snippets of the concert and post it online for us to check out, anyway," Will responded with a nod of agreement, folding her arms across her chest a moment, before awkwardly unfolding them in order to run a hand through her hair as she then asked, "But, a-anyway. Shall we get this party started, then?"

It was Taranee's turn to giggle as she watched Will's face immediately become flushed, clearly realizing how cheesy her statement had sounded.

She was about to respond in kind, anyhow, and reenter the redhead's bedroom, when something just then caught her eye.

Or _someone_ , rather.

"H-Hey . . . isn't that Cornelia? What's she still doing here, and . . . _tiptoeing_ this way? I'd have thought she'd already be at the amphitheater ages ago with Elyon, at least as I last understood things," Taranee commented with a naturally confused raise of her eyebrow, causing Will to turn back around away from her renewed path back toward the inside of her room, in order to catch the blonde in question heading toward them.

Cornelia really was doing precisely as Taranee had previously described, oddly creeping down the otherwise empty East Wing, apparently unaware that she was not alone as she kept her blue eyes downcast as she walked.

She also appeared to be . . . undressing, for whatever the reason, out of the pretty expensive looking one shoulder top and jeans which looked as though it had taken her a great while to get ready into.

Will watched within mildly growing curiosity as Cornelia then blindly reached up to practically yank out the pair of hoop earrings from out of each ear with one hand, before bending down to pick up the wedge shoes she'd just then kicked carelessly off her feet.

"Uhhh . . . I have no idea, Taranee. But from the looks of her and how dolled up she is, maybe she was going with a _date_ instead of Elyon, but he canceled or something last minute," Will openly surmised on the fly with another shrug as she now looked toward the tall blonde with a far more sympathetic gaze than before, with Taranee following suit. "Still, maybe we'd better head inside and let her emotionally detox in private, before she sees -"

"- O-Oh! _God!_ You _guys!_ I didn't even see you there!" Cornelia cried out within alarm upon finally catching sight of her fellow housemates as she drew closer, and before neither Will nor Taranee could have made a possible retreat, succeeding within dropping both her shoes as well as earrings onto the floor. "That's _twice_ , now, too. I have _really_ got to pay better attention whenever walking these halls, I swear. . . ."

Clearly uncertain of what the taller girl was referring to, Taranee nonetheless gave a quick look toward Will before rushing forward to help Cornelia with her belongings and lightly smiled.

"We're sorry for startling you like that, Cornelia! I was actually on my way to a sleepover in Will's dormroom when we both came back out briefly to check out the frenzy going on downstairs. Guess tonight's going to be even bigger than we already thought, huh?" she explained with another smile as Will awkwardly approached from behind, in spite of her previous want to leave the Geokinetic teenager to her own devices in order to privately lick her wounds.

"H-Hey, Cornelia. Sorry about the scare, like Taranee said. . . . You, uh, you look nice, though! Bet you can't wait to head out, yourself, right?" Will asked as casually as she could as she watched Taranee carefully hand over Cornelia's pair of delicate looking earrings before both girls rose to their feet.

She then flashed the svelte girl another, more genuine smile full of renewed affinity as both Will and Taranee regrettably noticed how curiously bloodshot Cornelia's eyes now appeared, as though she'd been previously crying.

Seeming to sense that both girls might have caught on to this, Cornelia let out a forced scoff and raised a free hand into the air dramatically as she explained, "Tch! Wouldn't you know it that I get everything together _perfectly_ for tonight, and I end up forgetting my eye drops for my _stupid_ contact lenses? That's where I was headed, just now, a-actually, when you two caught me. Well, not ' _caught_ me,' but you know . . . never mind! Don't let me keep you two from your slumber party!"

"O-Oh, hey! _Speaking_ of slumber parties again, though, Elyon told me about how the two of you are no longer roommates. I'm really sorry about that," the usually astute Taranee, for whatever reason, did not appear to take the hint as she nonetheless pressed on with the clearly unwanted conversation, causing both Will _and_ Cornelia to groan inwardly as a result. "But at least you'll still live together, obviously, and get to go to the rock concert tonight, right? Did she maybe go on ahead or something while you came back for your eye drops? I did try to use contact lenses myself a few years ago, but just found glasses to be more . . . _comforting_ , I guess you could say, and - W-What's with that look for, Will?"

Wishing that she possessed the mind reading capabilities Elyon, herself, apparently possessed, Will instead was forced to quickly wipe away the look of embarrassment she clearly hadn't done well to hide away from her friend and instead smiled crookedly at both girls before her as she stated, "H-Huh? Oh, well, nothing, Taranee. I was just . . . well, to be honest, you're kinda . . . _rambling_ a bit at the moment - Which is just _fine_ , trust! But I was just thinking, you know, seeing as Cornelia _is_ sort of time pressed . . . to get back to _Elyon_ , maybe we should just let her go and do that?"

Taranee, gently slapping a hand to her forehead, vigorously nodded within agreement and smiled apologetically.

"Oh, geez, right. I mean, I understand how pretty expensive these concert tickets can be, so I'd hate to miss even one _second_ of it, myself. We'll let you get on with what you were doing, then, Cornelia, sorry! Have fun tonight, and please tell Elyon the same when you see her!" she stated with another smile before already beginning to walk back toward Will's still open doorway to her dorm room, while Will suddenly found her own feet unable to move.

Despite being the only one to have picked up on the possibly personal situation, and wanting nothing more than to give the otherwise unfamiliar girl the privacy she would most probably need in order to handle it, Will suddenly found her normally safeguarded heart taking over for her usually in charge and rational mind as she quietly offered, ". . . . A-And, um . . . you know, if, for whatever reason, you might find Karmilla's show to be . . . I dunno, not everything you'd hoped it'd be . . . then there's always room for one more at our sleepover. . . ."

And before Cornelia could even make a sound, let alone actively reply, Will was already practically flying back into her bedroom and sealed the door behind her, not even daring to look back as her entire body vibrated with unequaled abashment over what she had just done.

She truly _was_ evolving, after all, and not simply from having become a mutant.

Because suddenly, just from simply now living at the institute, Will found herself constantly putting herself out there and actively _wanting_ to help those in need more and more . . . even if her words, or even actions might have been to the contrary just seconds before.

It was almost as though she'd been placed under a spell or some sort which, given where she now resided, she could no longer view it as an utter impossibility.

Still.

If this had been back in Heatherfield, Will would have for sure told Cornelia to drop _dead_ before laughing all the way back home over the fact that she'd apparently been stood up by some random guy.

. . . . Well, maybe not.

In all honesty, she probably would have just kept her head down as she normally used to when going about her day to day while living in Maine, keeping to her own affairs all while continuing to smartly protect her own feelings.

But now, _now_ , even _with_ her brain actively taking over and telling her to just walk away, both literally as well as emotionally, Will evidently could not stop herself from . . . paying it forward, she supposed, all the varying kindness she'd already experienced that past first week from her fellow house and schoolmates.

. . . . It was all she'd ever really wanted back home, after all.

Having . . . friends.

_True_ friends, and surrounded by people who didn't always have some sort of ulterior motive behind everything they did.

Here, while she was still naturally uncertain if things would continue on as they have been thus far, Will was nonetheless happy knowing that there at least seemed to be a _chance_.

And if, for whatever reason, it didn't, at least she still had Taranee. . . .

* * *

 

". . . . Look at 'em all, boys. Look at all these _losers_ , all glammed up and ready to have the time of their lives like some mindless sheep," sixteen-year-old Uriah Dunn spat with a deep scowl, arms folded across his chest and green eyes painstakingly trained upon the growing flood of fellow concertgoers steadily filing onto the open field of _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_ that early Friday evening. "They all look so ecstatic about being here I could just _spew_. . . ."

"Uh, well, not to split hairs or nothin' here, but _we're_ here to see the concert, too, right? And, y'know, if Becca had said _yes_ to being your date tonight, _you'd_ probably be one of those . . . losers, and . . . _s-shit!_ I'm _sorry_ , Uriah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to sound the way that it did!" Uriah whipped his habitually spiky, and russet colored head in time to see one of his two close friends (one of his two _lackeys_ , really), Kurt van Buren, immediately raise both of his chubby hands into the air and waved them back and forth within furthered apology.

Sometimes Uriah had to truly wonder why he even hung out with such an _idiot_ , really, and _especially_ with their other, mutual companion, Laurent 'Clubber' Hampton, who was somehow an even more imbecilic, as well as far more overweight version of Kurt when you got right down to it.

But Uriah supposed beggars couldn't be choosers, although he was _definitely_ far from destitute, given his family was on the fairly wealthy side, if he were a bragging man . . . and he usually was.

Still, in spite of this, and being a talented and gifted young . . . _slacker_ , he did have to admit, Uriah was what the more 'common folk' would refer to as . . . _unpopular_ , even being labeled as one of the more notable _bullies_ currently gracing the halls of _Bayville High School._

And thus, he'd found himself presently lacking within the friendship department.

But it wasn't honestly like it was _his_ fault, though.

It really _wasn't_ his fault that basically everyone at his school were all so inept and inferior to his honest genius . . . _adjacent_ tendencies, or the fact that his brand of humor and idea of a good time, albeit mean spirited at best, was commonly misunderstood.

_He_ was misunderstood . . . which was probably why that 'thinks-she's-too-good-for-him' Becca Grayson declined his _very_ generous offer of being his date to Karmilla's rock concert tonight.

She just didn't get him, nor could get past his need to express his overabundance of creativity by getting into all kinds of trouble-making mayhem on a fairly consistent basis.

But then again, how could she, when she was, as far as Uriah could tell, anyway, a mere _human_ , while he was an all powerful _mutant?_

If he wasn't such a downright gentleman, he probably would have fired off a few of his good old bone spikes straight into her _car tires_ as a result of turning him down.

_That'd_ show that high and mighty bitch.

"Well I guess it'd take one to know one, Kurt, seeing as while Becca told Uriah no because she thinks he has a bad attitude and his acne grosses her out, _you_ got shot down by Stacey Gibson because your B.O.'s always on the rancid side," Laurent remarked with his usually oblivious disposition, brown eyes presently downcast as he casually began picking up a few blades of grass at his side while continually sat upon the ground in between his friends. "Or, at least, you know, those are all the reasons both girls told that _other_ girl, Maya Raye, who's in my English class to pass onto you guys on Wednesday, but I guess I just forgot 'till now. Awful nice of them to be that specific about why they didn't want to come here with you, instead of, like, doing that whole usual, 'It's not you, it's _me_ ' thing chicks like to do, right?"

Both Uriah and Kurt somehow managed to crane their heads in order to properly look at one another from around the obese simpleton, before simultaneously smacking the back of the blond's unsuspecting, and honestly empty head.

"For God's _sake_ , Clubber! I know that it's like, an _epic_ feat for you to do a lot of the time, but do you think you could at least _try_ to think before you speak?" Uriah growled with an unappreciative shake of his head, cheeks unavoidably growing as crimson as the asymmetrical trail of acne his so called friend had been so 'kind' to remind him that he regrettably possessed.

" _Yeah!_ At least we actually had the _balls_ to go and ask someone to come with us, tonight! And besides! You _know_ that I _literally_ cannot help how I smell . . . if you know what I mean," Kurt remarked through gritted teeth, his own embarrassment shining forth as he discreetly bent his purple dyed head toward one of his armpits in order to take a whiff of the unfortunately familiar, and pungent aroma effortlessly wafting from underneath the three tee shirts he'd purposefully dressed himself within prior to heading to that evening's venue.

Uriah thought off and on that _he_ had it bad with his zits, crazy and uncooperative . . . _clown_ hair, really, and twig boy frame, despite all his best efforts to put on some sort of muscle in the past.

_Kurt_ would honestly like to see him try to go _one_ _day_ walking a mile within his shoes, having to go through high school, constantly reapplying prescription deodorant and taking about a _million_ showers a day in order to barely squeeze by being _moderately_ tolerable to be within close proximity for more than ten minutes at a time.

If he had the actual choice between Uriah's or Laurent's mutant abilities, Kurt would definitely take on _both_ at the same time, in all honesty.

Being able to shoot out bony projectiles, big _or_ small, from out of your fingertips whenever you wanted was hardly anything to sneeze about, especially when the only _real_ downside was needing to drink a lot of _milk_ afterwards in order to replenish your calcium levels.

And seeing as he was _already_ on the overweight side, anyway, it wouldn't really be that big a deal if Kurt was suddenly able to resist more or less any sort of injury like _Laurent_ , thanks to his own fatty tissues somehow making him immune to that sort of stuff . . . or, at least, how it was all sort of explained to both Uriah and Kurt when the trio first met back in middle school and eventually realized they were each mutants, anyway.

All Kurt knew to be for _sure_ was that Laurent was _super_ dumb, and also super _fat_ , but at least that was only because his mutant factor made him that way, no matter how much or little he ate.

His lack of _intelligence_ just seemed to be something of his _own_ devices, or lack thereof, really.

Still, on the surface, to everyone else who wasn't a fellow mutant, Laurent was just the loser, obese kid who was also on the pretty stupid side, but it was 'okay,' because he at least had his fellow, loser friends who _also_ possessed a lack of physical attractiveness.

As much as Kurt enjoyed being a mutant alongside his companions, being able to form literally acidic sweat which he could in turn use to possibly melt away the combination lock to his locker if he ever happened to forget the number code one day, he definitely could have done without malodorous side effect . . . or, at the _very_ least, his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, hands down.

He wasn't entirely sure if it was another so called 'side effect' of his particular mutant abilities, or something he might have developed had he not been born a mutant to begin with.

However, all Kurt understood for certain was that his literal need to take frequent showers in order to somewhat downplay his generally unpleasant aroma had become a downright _compulsion_ over the years, something both his parents, as well as therapist all believed to be a result of ongoing anxiety from his off putting scent.

And, if Kurt actually stopped to think about it, it probably was.

Still, neither of his parents nor his therapist were mutants, themselves, so could hardly understand what it felt like to be the 'chubby teenager with severely bad body odor.'

But at least, at the end of the day, Kurt had Laurent and Uriah to hang out with . . . even if half the time Uriah tended to act like he was better than them both in spite of his _own_ shortcomings, and Laurent's brain seemed to be forever stuck within 'Airplane Mode,' like right now. . . .

"H-Hey! Just because that didn't - And _couldn't_ hurt me doesn't mean you gotta do it, _anyway!_ Besides, I was only sayin' what _they_ said! I'm not the one who turned you down, so don't take it out on me!" Laurent glared at his companions on either side of his rather large frame as he rubbed the back of his blonde colored head mostly for show as well as habit, as it was true that the physical attack literally hadn't any effect on him whatsoever.

At this, Uriah abruptly stood from his place on the ground and threw his hands into the air dramatically.

"Ugh! _Whatever!_ So _what_ if those bitches apparently think they're better than us? We can do things they could only _dream_ about, remember? And it's high time we get the damned respect we freaking _deserve_ as a result!" he exclaimed angrily, running a hand through his greasy, and spiky hair.

Standing up as well, Kurt carefully maneuvered around a still seated Laurent as he asked, with an admittedly mischievous smile forming upon his face, "Yeah? My trouble-making senses are tingling right now, so I'm guessing you have another prank or something in mind?"

As the lights surrounding the stage of the large, lakeside amphitheater began to change within multicolored sequences, apparently signifying the beginning of the concert, Uriah slowly began to grin devilishly as an idea clearly did spring to mind.

"Who, me? _Never_ , Kurt, my man! I was just thinking that if Becca, and Stacey and all these other wonderful concertgoers on dates or whatever came to have a good time, then maybe we should do something to ensure that they have a _great_ one. . . ."

* * *

 

Cornelia didn't know how she ended up here.

One minute, she was planning on spending her ruined evening sequestered to her dorm room and privately drown her sorrows over being rejected by Elyon, however unknowingly, before immediately pushing it back down inside herself and trying to keep moving forward.

And yet somehow, she now found herself sat within one of her silk nightgowns on the floor of Will's dorm room, surrounded by a sea of snacks, board and video games and . . . admittedly pleasant company.

When Will had invited her to her slumber party about half an hour ago, Cornelia and, she was pretty sure, Will, as well, _never_ expected to actually show up.

Frankly, Cornelia was rather surprised over how observant Will had been, especially more so than _Taranee_ , as the redhead had regrettably been able to read between the lines and see through her 'red eyes because of dry contacts' ruse she had originally given.

Elyon's guidance as a Junior Professor truly _was_ having lasting effects upon Will, as each time Cornelia had bumped into her that week, the more . . . _open_ , she supposed, she'd really become.

She obviously still didn't really know much about the other girl, certainly not really how she had been prior to arriving to _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , but from what Elyon had been willing to briefly divulge, Will was now behaving the polar opposite of her previously aloof nature.

So maybe that was why Cornelia had returned to Will's dorm room in the first place, so that she wouldn't be rude declining her invitation . . . but she knew better.

She just couldn't _bear_ to be alone with her thoughts for the rest of that evening, for once missing having _Irma_ talk her ear off as she now normally would during their bedtime routine each night during that first week of becoming roommates.

As soon as she'd been able, Irma was one of the first students out of the door, nearly _two hours ago_ , decked to the nines and ready to go to her precious Karmilla concert.

As she unavoidably got to know the brunette a bit more intimately lately, Cornelia was actually able to admit to herself that, had she not always intended to go with Elyon all along, she imagined that hanging out with Irma instead wouldn't have been so bad.

She was certainly sure that _Hay Lin_ was currently having the time of her life, anyway, as Cornelia knew that both girls would be sticking together that night.

_Meanwhile_ , somewhere within the undoubtedly large crowd of people right about now would be _Caleb_ , probably trying to tell lame, stale jokes to lighten the mood between himself and Elyon, while complimenting her appearance and having the great time which should have been _hers_.. . . .

Thank _goodness_ Elyon was so trusting, or else Cornelia wasn't sure she would have bought into her desire to arrive to the concert a little later, and insisted that Elyon not keep her date waiting.

Plus, given, again, how congested and appropriately dim the amphitheater's area most probably was at that time, there wasn't honestly any way that her best friend would ever realize that she wasn't even there within attendance.

It was everything Cornelia could have hoped for on such a special, Friday night. . . .

". . . . Cornelia? _Cornelia?_ I asked if you wanted a S'more?" Cornelia suddenly heard Will's voice piercing through her faraway thoughts, causing her to blink within surprise before forcing a polite smile onto her face within initial response.

"U-Uh, yeah. _Yes_ , sure, Will, thanks for that," she stated with a firm nod in spite of her previously flustered disposition, drawing her bear knees up to her chest as she readjusted her position upon the wooden floor in front of Will's bed. "And hey, I just want to say thanks, again, for inviting me to your sleepover. You . . . didn't have to, but you did, and . . . well, like I already told you both when I came back, considering the fact that I ended up getting stood up tonight, this serves as a well timed distraction. . . ."

Cornelia watched with a partially raised eyebrow as Will, now dressed within her pajama shorts and shirt, smiled back at her within an almost knowing sort of way, before reaching into the giant snack pile laid out in front of the trio in order to carefully retrieve a sliver of chocolate from out of its wrapping.

". . . . It's no problem, don't worry about it. And besides, for what it's worth - I mean, seeing as you and I obviously don't really know one another inside and out yet - it's that dude's loss, anyway," Will complimented with a crooked smile, causing not only hers, but Cornelia's own cheeks to grow pink within obvious embarrassment.

Taranee couldn't help but surprisingly take pleasure within the display as she leaned across the junk food treasure trove in order to gently squeeze Cornelia's arm with one hand, while playfully nudging Will's side with the elbow of her other.

"Awww, _look_ at us! Turning lemons into lemonade like this, right? None of us ended up going to Karmilla's concert, after all, but we're still having our own private venue all the same, courtesy of Will's laptop, and _my_ perfectly created playlist of some of their best songs on 'YouTV!'" she remarked with a soft chuckle of blatant approval, causing Will to feel secretly relieved more and more that her very first slumber party was apparently going off without a hitch. "O-Oh! But . . . would you mind if I made a quick suggestion, Will? . . . . May I?"

Both Will, as well as Cornelia's eyes widened within surprise at their mutual friend's request, before Will slowly handed off all of the S'more ingredients she'd already gathered onto Cornelia's plate in order to make one for the blonde, herself.

". . . . A-Are you sure, Taranee? I was honestly just going to head down to one of the kitchens and use the microwave real quick, since I obviously remembered how . . . uncomfortable you are around fire," she responded within explanation, as Taranee nodded simultaneously with a shy smile.

". . . . Yes, Will, I am. I'm also touched that even though you added S'mores to the menu of our snacking smorgasbord this evening, you were still willing to make the trek all the way downstairs just to get them all gooey for my sake. You truly _are_ a gracious hostess for your first slumber party," she teased with another nod before continuing. "But . . . a-as I've said, to both of you, actually, managing my phobia has been _a lot_ of trial and error . . . although mostly _error_ , I will admit. Still, I _am_ going to have to minimize it somehow if not get rid of it, altogether as I'd obviously prefer, so . . . what better way to continue trying to do that than by helping to make the very treat which ended up manifesting my gifts in the first place?"

Cornelia couldn't help but smile proudly at the Thermokinetic girl at this, nodding within approval alongside a now grinning Will, before a small frown quickly began to cloud the blonde's face.

" _Good_ for you, Taranee . . . although, to be honest, I really should be _apologizing_ to you, instead," Cornelia began as she blindly reached up to rub at the back of her neck. "That is . . . this past week _really_ has been one gigantic roller coaster for me: Becoming a Junior Professor alongside Elyon; _screwing_ up and causing that earthquake over at Bayville; becoming Irma's new _roommate_ as part of my punishment and, most recently, getting _rejected_ by my . . . date. It's just really been . . . I guess as Irma would probably call it, a 'real _shit_ storm,' I guess, sorry. B-But, _anyway_ , I ended up losing sight of what had initially been truly important to me in the first place, finally been given the chance to prove my mettle by helping out our fellow schoolmates with their gifts, the way the professors have all done so for me, and still do. . . . I haven't really been doing that or, at _all_ , honestly, and I've just . . . let you down, Taranee, so . . . I just wanted to say that I'm really, _really_ sorry, again. . . ."

Taranee, having previously been within the middle of gingerly assembling Cornelia's preheated S'more, looked up from it within surprise as she settled it back down onto the plate.

"W-What? Sorry, I mean, excuse me? There isn't anything to apologize for, not to _me_ , at least, anyway. I mean, like you just listed, _and_ within great detail, it really _was_ a pretty chaotic week for you, Cornelia. And even though yes, technically, you were meant to be giving me a more . . . intimate and relatable look into my abilities, obviously I've still been receiving that - My lessons, from the other professors, all the same in the meanwhile," she stated with a quick shake of her head and light smile, before retrieving Cornelia's sugary treat. "Besides, you could consider _this_ , right here, your first, personal tutorial session, since this S'more _is_ technically yours, and I _am_ the one who's about to _willingly_ heat it up with my powers, so. . . ."

Both Will and Cornelia couldn't help but softly giggle at the same time at this, before Will gazed toward the lengthy blonde and found herself complimenting, "And while I'm _still_ not fully clear on the whole . . . 'Junior Professor' thing both you and Elyon apparently have going, I _will_ say that the two of you are honestly already doing a job well done. I mean, hey! Look at _me_ , throwing my premiere sleepover as Taranee earlier pointed out - _And_ during my first week here, no less. _Meanwhile_ , Taranee's getting ready to serve you the best, damned S'more _ever_ to momentarily grace this planet before promptly being gobbled up!"

After that particular moment, the remainder of Will's formerly duad slumber party, now a trinity continued to move forward at a rather relaxed, and welcomed pace.

There didn't appear to be any lingering hangups of what to say, or do next, especially for Will, as the technical host, and naturally hadn't a clue how sleepovers generally carried on, overall.

Instead, they were simply three teenage girls winding down from yet another school week, getting to know one another far greater than any one of them quite possibly didn't before think they might have, and, at least for now, forgetting about any personal stresses and anxieties and simply staying within the moment.

. . . . It was simply a shame that fate tended to possess other plans, that's all.

* * *

 

"Are you sure this is even gonna work?"

"Well, I mean, you _keep_ asking me and wasting our time like this, it won't even _matter_ if it does because the concert will be finished! Now will you just shut up and _do_ it, already?"

"Right, _okay_ , but it's like, why do _I_ gotta do all the work, and _you_ just get to stand there, taking credit for this prank?"

"Because it was _my_ idea in the first place! And besides, we _both_ know you wanna get back at Stacey for rejecting you and ruining your would-be date as much as I do against _Becca_ . . . _wherever_ the hell they both are right now within this gigantic crowd. Anyway! Let's get to it!"

It was about only forty-five minutes or so into Karmilla's concert when Uriah and his gang, well, mostly _Uriah_ , had come up with the _brilliant_ idea for Kurt to create a _massive_ stink bomb, courtesy of his trademark, pungent aroma, which would then undoubtedly cancel the rest of the event and thus, everyone's good time.

Or, at least, that's how Uriah figured it within his head, anyway.

Granted, there were still a few logistics to work out, such as how to ensure that the natural ventilation provided by the open atmosphere of the amphitheater wouldn't inevitably overpower even Kurt's usually quite overbearing stench, and then also knowing whether or not concerts were even postponed on account of . . . a bad smell.

He imagined probably not, but seeing as the 'bad smell' was about to be manufactured en masse by a _mutant_ , versus someone or something regularly found within nature, it was worth a try.

Of course, Uriah still had to do quite a bit of coaxing on his part to even get Kurt to agree to it in the _first_ place, since all three boys were _well_ aware of how self conscious Kurt's abilities would generally make him.

Still, all was fair in love and war.

And besides, as Uriah had made sure to paint it, those two chicks started it to begin with; they were simply _finishing_ it.

And so, there they now were, crowded together as inconspicuously as possible and off to the far side of the concert stage, sticking to the shadows in order to not be seen by any passersby, while finalizing the last of their 'ingenious' plan.

The way Uriah had figured it, if they couldn't get absolutely _everyone_ to leave, at the very least those closer to the stage, as they now were, would _surely_ suffer, as that particular lot were presently assembled beneath the partial roofing constructed directly above them, and thus, would possibly give Kurt's stink bomb a bit more hang time versus the rest of the more open area behind the remaining concertgoers. . . .

"Hurry _up_ with that last can of soda, will ya? You should be _plenty_ hydrated in order to have enough juice for this by now. _Geez_ ," Uriah snapped impatiently as he watched his childhood companion nervously down the remaining drops of his fourth container of the carbonated drink, naturally understanding by now that Kurt's mutant abilities required him to be every bit as replenished as his own did, or else both boys were otherwise _useless_.

Wiping away random droplets of the syrupy beverage from his round face with the back of his shaky, and already _quite_ sweaty hand, Kurt glared daggers at his friend before purposefully leaning toward him in order to let out a well timed, as well as truly _rancid_ belch right into his acne riddled face.

". . . . _T-There!_ That sound - And _smell_ ready enough for ya? Now, stand back, already! I-I've . . . never tried making so much sweat in one go like this, so I don't even know if I'll be able to do it," he responded with another deep glower, at the same time that Laurent, who was just as eager to get the show on the road as Uriah, clutched at his sides as he began chortling greatly at the redhead's now suffocating expense.

With several deep breaths of his own, Kurt vigorously rubbed his hands together, causing them to glow a greenish yellow shade, at the same time both generated the fetor of sweat even _more_ as a result.

He then hesitated a moment, his previous apprehension etched upon his face once more before promptly placing both drenched, and aura emitting hands underneath his already stained armpits, and waited.

It hadn't honestly taken long, despite his prior confession to the contrary, as a pea soup colored mist suddenly manifested from Kurt's partially hunched over form, wafting away from his soiled armpits and already rapidly beginning to spread out and up into the surrounding atmosphere.

"Y-Yeah, all _right!_ U-Ugh, sweet _Jesus_ , that's God a-awful, but you did it, pal!" Uriah exclaimed with esteemed jubilation, although he promptly covered up his nose and mouth with the back of his arm, causing Kurt to feel all the more inhibited about his 'handy work.' " _N-Now_ let's see these s-suckers try to enjoy the rest of the c-concert!"

"Yeah, man! T-That was so a-awesome!" Laurent laughed in between coughs as he gave both his friends a rather _hearty_ slap on the back . . . catching them both off guard, and resulting within the accidental use of their respective mutant abilities, simultaneously.

Before either boy could stop himself, thanks to the sheer force of Laurent's brute super strength, Uriah let out a sharp, _girlish_ squeal as several, beige colored spikes suddenly ejected themselves from out of the forearm which had previously been covering his mouth, at the same time that a bluish green tinted blast abruptly left Kurt's still glowing hands.

The next few seconds were like a lifetime to all three of them from that point forward, as they could only helplessly watch as Uriah's incredibly sharp and lethal projectiles effortlessly made its unintended mark straight through three of the six, large pillars which had been erected in order to help keep the stage's partial roofing up.

He would have honestly felt immense pride, in addition to rather impressed to just now learn that his spikes were somehow powerful enough to pierce through steel beams within such a way, if he hadn't been too preoccupied with the sheer _terror_ he was instead experiencing . . . _especially_ upon witnessing Kurt's literally sweaty powers (which evidently could now suddenly manifest into full on, corrosive _blasts)_ hit its own target, straight into the stage's overhead lighting and caused several to not only explode, but _ignite_ within the process.

"H-Holy shit! L-Let's get out of here, you guys!" Uriah screamed, panic seeping into the very bones which were now partially responsible for the rapidly unfolding chaos, already taking off into a fevered sprint toward the exits as he cowardly left his now, fellow fleeing companions behind.

As much as they'd each enjoyed a good prank every now and again, there was absolutely _nothing_ practical about _this_ joke, and Uriah wasn't about to get caught with his hand deep within the cookie jar for it.

Someone _else_ would simply have to clean up their mess . . . they _hoped_.

* * *

 

They were in the middle of watching a random movie airing on television when they suddenly heard the commotion going on outside of Will's dorm room door.

"Theresa doesn't _know_ how it happened! Before hanging up, she only quickly explained how everything's going to _hell_ down there, and the band - _Everyone_ could be in serious danger!"

" _Christ!_ And _we_ were thinking of going to that concert, ourselves! I-I hope she was able to call Nine-One-One by now after getting out of there! I'd better do it, too, j-just in case, before letting the professors know!"

All three girls slowly looked at one another from their continued, shared spots on the floor with widened eyes, before then immediately scrambling to their feet and toward the sealed bedroom door upon hearing this.

Cornelia was the first one to pass through the doorway like an honest blur, already racing down the hallway and past the two random students who had unknowingly alerted the girls to the apparent danger now going on at the amphitheater.

"C-Cornelia! Wait up! Wait for _us!_ " Taranee called out in between shaky breaths, her own trepidation understandably mounting as both she and Will began to follow after the quickly retreating blonde, who was now somehow bounding down the habitually elegant, main stairwell two at a time.

As they, too, began to descend the staircase, both girls had honestly expected Cornelia to make an abrupt turn toward Professor Kandrakar's study in order to alert him of the impending peril for the multitude of his concert attending students.

Instead, however, Cornelia continued straight on, sloppily tying her blue night robe closed to fend against the evening chill, before then throwing the main doors of the mansion open and headed out into the pitch dark, alone.

"W-Whoa! _N-No_ , way! You _can't_ be thinking of going down there, are you? A-And to do _what_ , exactly?" Will was the first to vocalize the mutual concern which was now etched effortlessly upon hers, as well as Taranee's face upon somehow managing to catch up to the continually distressed Cornelia.

"Y-Yes, I _am_ , Will! _You_ heard those girls back inside! I can't just _stay_ here, not while so many people could be injured! A-And _Elyon!_ O-Oh, _God!_ " she cried out heatedly as she now found herself struggling against Will's unexpected grasp around her waist from behind, as the redhead did her best to keep her from leaving the premises.

Taranee, too, now joined the fray as she quickly maneuvered around her blonde friend and abruptly threw her hands into the air in order to signal for her to stop trying to get away.

" _P-Please!_ I'm just as scared for everyone down there, b-but Will's right, Cornelia! Anything you _think_ you could do to help, I'm sure that the police o-or maybe even the fire department is already down there, taking care of! You'd only be in their way!"

Despite the strong rationality within her words, Cornelia wasn't hearing _any_ of it, as she vigorously shook her head before yanking herself completely free of Will's temporary hold.

"N-No! You don't _understand_ , you guys! I-I can just . . . _feel_ like something's _really_ wrong down there! That Elyon - Everyone - needs me! I _have_ to go! I can _do_ this - I've been _trained_ for this!"

And before either girl could even attempt to derail her plans once more, Cornelia was gone, sprinting down the remaining pathway and through the slowly opening main gate with a velocity which could have possibly rivaled any other students with _actual_ super speed capabilities.

"' _T-Trained_ for -!' What the hell is she _talking_ about? What's even going _on,_ now?" Will cried out with rising anxiety, running a flustered hand through her red hair, at the same time that her entire body regrettably began to spark with the now familiar sensations of her Electrokinesis. "A-Are we _really_ just going to let Cornelia go off on her own like this?"

Taranee felt her own body automatically jump back within alarm at the sight of her new friend's gifts uncontrollably triggering themselves, however immediately did her best to maintain the apologetic smile which was struggling to coexist alongside her conflicting dread toward the overall situation.

She did briefly wonder if _now_ should be the time to properly fill the redhead in upon the 'extra' training her mutual housemates got up to, courtesy of the Danger Room, as Taranee was at least aware that the newer students were not yet introduced to it, let alone required to participate.

Her _personal_ insight was rather lacking, anyhow, as Taranee's own experience inside of the Danger Room had yet to truly earn its admittedly menacing moniker, what with the few sessions she'd trained within had thus far been limited to target practice for those with projectile based abilities, or obstacle courses.

If anything, it was almost like having more than one _gym class_ each day to Taranee, although she was certainly not complaining about the mostly lax sort of atmosphere, as she'd already been informed by other students that the more practiced she'd become with her gifts, the more difficult, and possibly even more _frightful_ the Danger Room truly would become. . . .

It was for that very reason, especially, that Taranee had decided to tactfully ignore her already terrified friend's query, before proceeding to surprise the _both_ of them by her next chosen set of words.

"S-Sorry about that, Will! And, _n-no_ . . . we _can't_ let her do this on her own, whatever she has planned! T-That's why . . . I say we go _after_ her, and help, as well!"

" _W-What_ , was there something in the _popcorn_ I'd popped earlier which has clearly _only_ effected you and Cornelia?" Will stammered her newest inquiry within understandable upset, although she did appear to be actively trying to calm herself, or at least her electrified powers down as she began to take deep, cleansing breaths before continuing. "We have _no_ idea what's going on down at that amphitheater, _or_ how to get there - At least, _I_ don't, anyway. And even if we _did_ know what's happening, what could _two_ teenagers - O-Or _three_ , counting Cornelia, evidently - possibly do to help fix things, like you'd _just_ said before?"

Taranee nodded her head momentarily within understanding at this before giving Will a light, although far more stable and sincere smile than the one before.

". . . . You're right, Will. We probably _won't_ really be able to do much to help anything, but . . . just _knowing_ that so many of our housemates are down there, possibly _trapped_ , o-or injured and obviously scared, I j-just - !"

"- _Oooh_ , all right! _Fine_ , you win, Taranee! I-I'll . . . I'll come with you, but _only_ because I don't honestly want to see _you_ go rushing off into danger all by yourself, the same way Cornelia just did," Will interrupted with a defeated, albeit still quite fearful moan, exhaling several times in order to firmly regain control of her Electrokinetic abilities, before then carefully reaching out to briefly seize the now taken aback Taranee's arm.

"R-Really? I was honestly about to suggest that you stay and let Professor Kandrakar and the others know if you really couldn't come with me, but -"

"- Y-Yeah, well . . . I guess now ' _we'_ can let them know once we've made it _down_ there, instead . . . _somehow!_ "

* * *

 

It was like something out of a dream, almost, the way Elyon suddenly found herself on a real life date, _and_ with someone who actually appeared to be rather fond of her, at that.

She still couldn't believe it, really, which would normally amuse her to think, considering her daily life revolved around being surrounded by individuals who could do things which were so called 'out of this world.'

Yet, there she was, constantly having to remind herself that it _wasn't_ a dream, or trick, or perhaps something she'd watched and read hundreds of times via the various romance novels, television shows and movies presently circulating around out there within the media.

Elyon really _was_ out on a date, and finally felt just like everyone else for a change.

It was a miracle she'd even managed to finish getting dressed and out the door on time, to be honest, the way Elyon had had quite the difficult time settling on an outfit which wouldn't be too over the top for a rock concert, but was also still 'dressy' enough to let Caleb know that she was taking their outing together seriously . . . or _however_ dating protocol usually went, at least.

Thank goodness for her beloved Cornelia, and the most recent birthday gift she'd given her last year, or else Elyon was afraid she'd have to end up _canceling_ on Caleb altogether, as she'd regrettably realized that absolutely _nothing_ within her entire wardrobe actually worked.

The theme of Elyon's personal style generally consisted of 'clean cut and simple,' as drawing attention _to_ herself wasn't usually her thing, versus _Irma_ , or even _Hay Lin's_ own wardrobe (now that she was actively living with her to personally see), which was certainly _much_ more bold and creative by comparison.

So it was a good thing, then, that Cornelia had apparently paid attention to the conversation they'd had in passing a year ago, when Elyon was randomly bemoaning over how she never really took any chances, or shook things up within her life, despite still feeling that overall it was probably for the best.

She'd never dreamed that it'd result within her best friend surprising her with the _beautiful_ , light blue and off the shoulder button dress, nor the new pair of silver, lace up ballet flats to go right along with it.

" _It isn't dyeing your hair green, or getting pierced within any unmentionable places, but . . . it's a start,"_ Elyon could recall Cornelia stating after watching Elyon carefully open up her birthday presents, even having taken care to remember her keen preference for wearing flats as her go to 'formal wear.'

Elyon remembered feeling completely overwhelmed with joy and appreciation, as well as immense _embarrassment_ , as while she had imagined that she'd probably wear the shoes just fine from that point on, she didn't think that she'd ever be able to don the _dress_ , what with it uncharacteristically exposing her shoulders and general neckline area like that.

She just wasn't ready for _that_ sort of attention, even if, thinking on it now, it really _did_ make her sound as though she were stuck back in _time_ somewhere, or about to go out completely _naked_ , instead. . . .

And so the outfit regrettably sat, folded neatly within the gift box it was originally packaged in . . . until now.

Elyon had wanted to get dressed together with Cornelia, as they normally would for big events such as this one, but also to surprise her friend by showing her that she was finally going to put her birthday present to good use; however, when she'd knocked on her dorm room door to do so, Cornelia had merely called out to her from the bathroom area, telling her that she was running uncharacteristically behind and to get started without her.

Although she did find that to be rather odd, as Elyon had never before really known Cornelia to run behind schedule for much of anything, even pertaining to matters she might not have been too keen on (such as tonight's rock concert), Elyon was simultaneously too beside herself to put everything on hold in order to find out if her dearest friend was all right, as she normally would.

After all, the last thing she wanted to be was late for her first date, thus possibly making it her _last_.

It didn't really matter, anyway, as by the time Elyon had managed to put the finishing touches on the admittedly sloppy looking, pulled back bun she'd somehow pulled off all on her own (as Cornelia was usually the one to create the more fanciful hairstyles for her), Cornelia was standing in her doorway, completely dressed and looking her habitually stylish and beautiful self.

Elyon wasn't sure, further rewinding it all within her mind, but it honestly did appear as though Cornelia had been about to cry the moment both girls had laid eyes upon one another, although Elyon had probably imagined it . . . she supposed?

It was probably just Cornelia feeling proud of her for feeling brave enough to at last wear the outfit she'd bought for her, and was touched that she'd chosen to do so for her premiere outing with a boy, that's all.

Elyon should have taken a moment to investigate more properly, however the time had then shown that _both_ girls were now running late and needed to leave the mansion right that second, or else they might have run the risk of possibly missing Karmilla's first number by the time they'd reached the amphitheater . . . and _Elyon_ , at least, would have also possibly run the risk of having Caleb believe she had stood him up.

And so there she now was, standing side by side with the boy in question and thoroughly enjoying herself, both due to his company, but also due to how much fun she was generally having.

In hindsight, a rock concert probably wasn't one of the most ideal venues for a first, official date, considering the naturally blaring music and singing, alongside the sea of fellow concertgoers who were _also_ singing along (or _screaming_ , as was unfortunately the case for the few people nearest them).

Still, Elyon found that she was somehow able to understand everything Caleb had been saying to her that entire time, and vice versa, it seemed . . . something which Elyon tried not to focus too much upon, as the _reason_ both could hear what the other was saying was due to the fact that Caleb kept leaning down and tilted his head toward her whenever she spoke, at the same time that he'd carefully draw his lips close to nearly brush against her ears whenever he'd reply. . . .

That alone was enough to make Elyon wish that the ground would somehow swallow her up, or that at least a power outage would occur so that she could better hide her ongoing mortification every time Caleb would do this, and then lean away momentarily in order to flash her an admittedly charming sort of smile.

She didn't even _remember_ saying anything funny . . . did she?

And he was being sooo _attentive!_

Weren't guys supposed to be more on the _absentminded_ side?

At least, that was usually one of the more common complaints Elyon would hear some of her housemates air out in passing throughout the years, anyway.

Still, if that really _was_ the case, then _Caleb_ was clearly an exception, as he appeared sincerely interested within everything she had to say, from starting off small and simply relaying the 'boring and typical' school week she'd just had (well, minus that 'mysterious' earthquake they'd all experienced earlier on), to her general hobbies, such as her drawing.

It didn't take another Telepath to see that their date was really going well, and that Caleb genuinely enjoyed being with her. . . .

Elyon couldn't _wait_ to get back home and fill Cornelia in about every last detail, seeing as it was nearly impossible for her to locate her anywhere within the expansive crowd.

She knew that her fellow blonde was naturally going to give her best friend some space during tonight's festivities, but Elyon still thought that she'd at least be able to spot her off and on, as Cornelia herself had originally told her she would.

Elyon then wondered if Cornelia had ended up getting held up at the bus stop, where majority of their fellow housemates had originally gathered in order to head down to the amphitheater earlier on that evening.

That was all about an hour ago, now, and while Elyon really _did_ want to use her Telepathy in order to perhaps send a quick message asking if her best friend was all right, she also still tried her absolute best to limit her otherwise invasive ability, after all . . . _especially_ if Cornelia could have been within the middle of flirting with some random guy who'd summoned up enough courage to ask her to dance.

She was sure they'd find one another eventually, and then Elyon would be free to spill her _guts_ out over how much fun she was having.

Until then, Elyon was just going to continue focusing on the moment . . . the moment, _and_ her never-ending embarrassment at having Caleb repeatedly bringing himself within _kissing_ range. . . .

_God_ , help her.

"You know, I'm . . . I'm really glad that we're doing this, Elyon! I mean, that I'd taken the chance on settling on Karmilla's concert as the setting for our first time out together!" Elyon resisted the urge to openly shiver upon listening to Caleb's increasingly familiar, minty smelling voice shouting above the music and near her ear once more, a soft chuckle escaping past his lips as he continued. "I mean, nothing against their tunes or anything, but I just never really saw the appeal! B-But they're honestly not _too_ bad, tonight, and I'm still having a great time in general! Plus, I did know that you _do_ like them and were coming, tonight, so thought that it made sense . . . not that I was stalking you or anything! It's just that I'd hear you talking about it in passing with your other friends, like that Cornelia girl! . . . . I, um . . . I was admittedly waiting for the right time to finally ask you out!"

Elyon felt her body tense up immediately at this, the hairs on the back of her 'abnormally' exposed neck standing on end.

It was bad enough when Caleb had complimented her overall appearance five times (Yes, she'd counted) since they'd first met up with each other at their agreed spot earlier on that evening.

It had taken most of Elyon's willpower to prevent her legs from turning into absolute _jelly_ when he'd politely offered his hand to lead her further down the hill and into the amphitheater's surrounding area, as he went on about how pretty her dress and hair looked, and how well both suited her.

How was he honestly _single?_

Still, there he now was, basically confessing his attraction to her freely, instead of having her second guess everything within her mind as she'd admittedly been doing up until that point, despite all signs _having_ pointed to this pretty much from the very start of their date.

She could have _really_ used Cornelia's input on what to do or say right about then, however, as all of Elyon's instincts were telling her to _run away_ like crazy, but not before most probably saying something utterly _stupid_ to further ruin her chances of possibly having a _second_ date with Caleb in the future.

Elyon _was_ about to respond, somehow ignoring her great urge to hide away and summoning up enough courage in order to confess her _own_ growing feelings toward the tall brunet, when suddenly, all _Hell_ began to break loose. . . .

The namesake of the rock band, Karmilla, could be seen center stage from where Elyon and Caleb were both positioned within the crowd, having previously finished up one of the group's more fast tempoed numbers, before transitioning into a well timed rock ballad.

Elyon was pretty certain that Caleb most likely would have asked her to dance (well, to _slow_ dance, anyway, as the two had been dancing here and there prior to that particular moment, to be fair) . . . if half of the stage hadn't suddenly begun to _implode!_

She'd only been able to catch a glimpse before understandably ducking for cover, but Elyon did manage to briefly noticed what had appeared to be . . . an _orb_ of some sort, and bluish emerald within hue, abruptly making direct connection with the stage lights hanging straight above Karmilla, and the rest of her band. . . .

" _A-Ahh!_ " Elyon, as well as several other concertgoers surrounding her all naturally cried out within sheer alarm, before she then let out a loud grunt upon being thrown to the ground, presumably by Caleb.

But then, the more she listened to the rising panic unfolding all around her, coupled with cracking her blue eyes open to witness the honest _stampede_ which was now occurring as people began to vacate the premises, Elyon quickly realized that she'd instead been toppled over by one of the aforementioned escapees.

She _also_ realized, quite sickeningly, that Caleb was nowhere to be found. . . .

" _C-Caleb!_ Caleb, where are you?" Elyon called out frantically within elevating concern as she struggled to sit up from her place on the ground, knowing that, through all of the ongoing pandemonium he most likely wouldn't hear her, especially with her so low and in between people's legs.

She also knew that if she didn't get back up, and _now_ , she not only might sustain severe injuries, but far _worse_. . . .

_E-Elyon? Elyon, are you still here! Something's happening to Karmilla's stage, and I don't mean the normal stage effects they'd been using up to now! H-Hay Lin and I are absolutely freaking out right now, in case you can't already tell!_ Elyon suddenly heard Irma's frenzied voice blaring into her mind just then . . . at the same time that Elyon activated her Telekinetic abilities as discreetly as she could, 'guiding' as many fleeing patrons away from her petite frame while she quickly rose to her feet before they could have otherwise done her harm.

Briefly dusting herself off, Elyon nodded her head to no one in particular, knowing that wherever Irma presently was within the dispersing crowd she understandably wouldn't have seen that, especially not with the ongoing destruction which continued to unfold all around her.

When she'd originally gone down, it was only the overhead stage lights which had begun to dangerously plummet.

_Now_ , however, not only had Elyon risen back onto her feet in time to catch the grand series of loudspeakers which had been towered on either side of the stage and were _also_ now swiftly beginning to come crashing down, but several of the metal beams which had been holding up the partial roofing branching out away from the stage area had inexplicably been _sliced_ clean through, frighteningly toppling over onto the ground like dominoes within a tremendous crescendo. . . .

_I-I'm here, and I see it! I see it all! O-Oh, God!_ Elyon shakily responded mentally, immediately dashing _toward_ the now collapsing stage rather than away, as she, without thinking, managed to 'catch' the falling loudspeakers via her Telekinesis, before any one of them came down onto any retreating innocents.

She let out a soft groan before applying a bit more force with her gift by redirecting the trajectory of all six loudspeakers combined and sent them _flying_ toward an empty clearing to one side of the stage and out of harm's way.

Taking sharp, quivering breaths, Elyon continued attempting to keep her wits about her as she then managed to telepathically ask her friends, _What's going on? Was it an aftershock, or something?_

_We don't think so! Irma said that she saw some weird light heading toward the stage before all this started, a-and I also saw a set of . . . o-of spikes flying overhead on my way out of the bathroom before! I-It was also around the same time as the . . . incredibly terrible s-smell that's still pretty strong where we both are!_ Hay Lin's terrified voice suddenly echoed within Elyon's mind as she resumed running closer toward to the stage area, doing her best to maneuver around all those who were doing the exact opposite. _Where are you? Are you okay? Is Cornelia?_

_Y-Yes, I'm fine, and Cornelia - ! Oh, God! Cornelia! I have no idea where she is! I haven't seen her all night, actually, and everything's happening so fast now that I haven't had time to look!_ she psychically replied, momentarily stopping within her tracks as her blood immediately ran cold at the realization that not only was _Caleb_ possibly still lost amongst the ensuing chaos, but so too was her greatest friend in the world . . . and she didn't even have time to stop and properly search for either one of them.

There were too many lives at risk on the whole, and like it or not, she _had_ to put them first and help.

After all, this was what Oracle and the other professors had been training her to do this entire time, more or less: To use her many gifts for the benefit of _all_ when and where she could, _if_ she could, so that when the time came for mutants to finally be revealed to the world, they would be welcomed without fear. . . .

Until then, however, Elyon would simply have to do her best to continue using her abilities without drawing too much attention to herself, all while trying to remain as calm as possible, considering she hadn't any idea if neither Cornelia nor Caleb had made it out of the amphitheater in one piece, and the mental messages she was now attempting to send to the blonde curiously did not seem to be reaching her.

Normally, if this happened, it was for one of three reasons: Either the individual was psionically out of range, had a rather high resistance or immunity against those possessing telepathic abilities . . . or something possibly could have befallen them.

However, considering that Elyon could not readily sense Cornelia's brainwaves anywhere amongst the egress, whether or not she'd scarily been rendered unconscious somehow, she would force herself to believe that the other girl simply was no longer present within the hazardous vicinity.

And as much as that new thought did grant her some comfort, it also served to drum up even more puzzling thoughts for Elyon, as she knew that, no matter how frightened Cornelia possibly was right now, she would _never_ just leave everyone behind to fend for themselves, mutant gifts or no. . . .

So, then . . . where _was_ she?

Willing herself to push all those concerns aside, at least for now, Elyon forced herself to focus upon the series of tasks which now lay out before her.

_I-If you'd just come from the bathroom area, then you must be closest to the stage, right, Hay Lin? Can you see if Karmilla and her band made it off safely before those stage lights fell down? I-I couldn't stop them in time, and it's getting harder to see where I am, as there are too many people crowding me, trying to escape!_ Elyon telepathically spoke to the Aerokinetic girl, once more using her Telekinesis simultaneously in order to clear a path for herself as delicately as she could. _W-We . . . We have to stay and help evacuate as many of them as we can! I-I don't . . . know how this happened, but we're the only ones who can try to keep things as under control as possible until proper assistance arrives!_

_I-If that's you giving us the go ahead to use our powers out in public, then we're way ahead of you on that one, as - S-Shit! A fire's broken out onto the stage, now! Must be from all the exposed wiring that's now up there! Just get to us, and now!_ Irma swiftly answered for Hay Lin, before Elyon could feel the brunette abruptly cut off the open, and concentrated mental link between them, at the same time that the blonde just then caught sight of the now rising inferno which seemingly appeared from out of nowhere overhead.

And then, a bloodcurdling scream could then be heard bellowing out from the now dilapidated stage, as one half was now on fire . . . while the other side still had another, remaining row of stage lights perilously hanging above the head of none other than _Karmilla_ , who was now curled onto the ground, alone, and trapped beneath some of the newly formed debris. . . .

" _H-Help!_ Someone help me! M-My legs are trapped! I can't _move!_ " she frantically shrieked in between sharp coughing, as the rising smoke from the flames, as well as remaining fog from the now defunct smoke machine quickly _enveloped_ her, effectively masking her from the view of anyone else who might have possibly stopped to witness the suddenly burning stage.

A loud creaking noise abruptly moaned and echoed out into the surrounding atmosphere above Elyon's head as she advanced closer, and she quickly realized that the previously damaged roofing was now beginning to come _down_ , as the loss of several of its beams was finally placing an unstoppable strain upon the overall, and ill-designed structure. . . .

What was she going to do?

The roof was clearly about to come barreling down onto not only Elyon, but also _a lot_ of other innocent people who were still making their disorganized exit from the crumbling amphitheater as fast as they could.

She couldn't hold it up via her Telekinesis, _and_ save Karmilla at the same time with her Teleportation ability, even at her present level of mutant strength.

Elyon couldn't risk full on exposure like that, for one thing, and probably wouldn't be able to keep the vast, metal roof aloft for very long by herself, either, as she was sure that it weighed at least a hundred pounds, or more.

_Certainly_ a far greater weight than she'd ever before attempted to mentally sustain for the several minutes she was quite certain she would need, and then some, in order to ensure the safety of those still around her.

Still, she _had_ to make a choice, and _fast!_

Elyon could only hope and _pray_ that both Irma and Hay Lin would do their part and somehow get to Karmilla in time, as she chose to lay her full trust within her companions, as well as their own training, by instead reactivating her telekinetic abilities just in time to stop the roof . . . which had just then began plunging, violently, down toward the ground.

She did her best to ignore the lurching sensations now absolutely riddled within her stomach as she'd effectively just chosen the lives of _many_ over the life of _one_ , repeatedly reassuring herself that her friends _would_ rescue Karmilla, themselves, before she then compelled herself to focus all of her attention onto the _tremendously_ heavy construction which now hovered precariously above her. . . .

* * *

 

Immediately splitting off from Irma, who'd given her best friend a quick, reassuring glance before taking off toward the back end of the large amphitheater, and its encompassing lake, Hay Lin instead sprinted off within the opposite direction and zigzagged in between escaping patrons as best she could.

While Hay Lin was absolutely positive that Irma would have thoroughly enjoyed being the one to potentially rescue her all time favorite musician in her place, both clearly understood that Hay Lin's mutant abilities were perhaps best suited for the job, as she could, and _would_ use her Aerokinetic gifts in order to make it onto the stage both safely, as well as undetected.

Either way, Hay Lin wasn't about to let anyone down, as she then did her best to concentrate upon activating her newly formed invisibility power as quickly as she could, silently cursing herself that she still hadn't fully gotten the hang of doing so just yet.

She winced within mounting fear as she could hear the terrified screams and desperate gasps for breath of the continually trapped Karmilla as she drew closer to the burning stage, her racing heart skipping a beat the moment Hay Lin could feel the familiar wash of her Aerokinetic abilities taking over.

Fleetingly looking down at her hands to see that she now truly _was_ invisible once more, Hay Lin swiftly took to the skies with little to no effort within contrast, and safely landed behind a visibly trembling and cowering Karmilla.

"O-Oh, God! P . . . _Please!_ " she coughed weakly, her voice straining to carry over the rising flames which threatened to reach her, as well as the now invisible and carefully silent Hay Lin within each passing second as it continued to spread across the rest of the stage.

Hay Lin did her best not to be worriedly distracted by the famous singer's _completely_ disheveled and pinned down appearance, as she knew that she'd only be slowed down, otherwise.

Still, it was quite the frightening sight to behold, as the older woman's habitually spiky, blue dyed hair was now partially matted down onto her soot covered and makeup smeared face, while the lilac colored top and navy jeans she'd been wearing at the beginning of her fresh set were now both torn clean through.

With a sharp wave of her right hand, Hay Lin summoned up a gust of wind in order to clear away some of the stage's fallen rubble which previously had Karmilla perilously trapped, causing the other girl to gasp within supreme, yet understandable alarm.

" _W-What_ the. . . .?" she stammered in between continued, sharp coughs while Hay Lin now did her best not to do the same, trying not to give herself away as she nonetheless gingerly lifted Karmilla from off of the flaming stage and straight into the air with her.

True, Hay Lin had done this before, managing to carry another individual with her mid flight, despite lacking enhanced strength like so many of her other housemates, for example.

However, she'd never before needed to do so _outside_ of a training simulation, during a raging _fire_ , and all while also sustaining her continually stubborn gift of _invisibility_.

Still, Hay Lin knew she couldn't falter, not with the life of someone else _literally_ within her hands, in addition to not while the . . . roof above them was starting to _cave in?_

Ignoring the sharp pains now coursing through both her arms as she continued to concentrate as best she could upon the task at hand, Hay Lin tried not to raise the now wriggling Karmilla _too_ high up into the air as she flew her away from the burning stage and now crumbling roof as fast as she could.

Spotting a nearby clearing close to the hillside which led people into and out of the open area, Hay Lin did her best to close the gap between both women, and the now thankfully approaching ambulance van as she could manage.

She then briefly wondered how utterly _certifiable_ any remaining people might now end up believing themselves to be, those who might have chanced a moment's rest during their escape to witness a mysteriously _flying_ Karmilla, right before she'd carefully begun to land 'herself' back down onto the ground.

Although it was thankfully now quite dark, as majority of the previous lights had since gone out, presumably due to a massive power outage, there was still the clear night sky and natural illumination from the bright moon overhead to contend with, after all.

Had the entire situation not been an increasingly _dangerous_ one, Hay Lin imagined that most of the former concertgoers might have promptly ruled the curious incident away as yet another special effect Karmilla's band had already been utilizing during the beginning half of their rock concert, anyhow. . . .

"I-It's a _miracle!_ I'm saved!" Hay Lin could hear Karmilla cry out from below her as she continued to critically dangle several feet above the ground, before Hay Lin's arms couldn't take it any longer and she proceeded to descend about halfway between the stage and her originally intended destination.

However, Karmilla didn't appear to mind, it seemed, for as soon as Hay Lin gently released her from her protective grip, the rescued rock star clasped her hands together in front of her before shaking them toward the sky and happily exclaimed, "Ohhh, _thank_ you, my sweet Guardian Angel! _Thank_ you!"

Despite being admittedly spiritual, herself (although nowhere near as much as her grandmother, by comparison), of all the reactions Hay Lin had imagined _Karmilla_ herself to possess upon inexplicably soaring through the night sky, suddenly singing praises to the heavens and claiming that her _Guardian Angel_ had preserved her was not one of them.

After all, Karmilla, or at least her persona, had always been more on the bold, devil-may-care side, and if her life, nor the lives of so many others hadn't been in danger, Hay Lin imagined that she might have played up the entire incident as some sort of publicity stunt.

But then again, _Irma_ was the one who knew the musician practically inside and out far better than she did, so who knew what sort of reaction Karmilla might have had if the brunette in question had been the one to save her.

And here Hay Lin was worried about how she'd be able to get away with masking everything but her physical touch.

Still, it was rather surprising to see a softer, certainly much more _vulnerable_ side of Karmilla. . . .

Further surveying the immediate vicinity to double check that the older woman certainly _was_ out of immediate danger, Hay Lin took as quiet a breath as she could before rising into the air once more, at the same time that several fast approaching Emergency medical technicians appreciatively then appeared to take notice of the lone rock star, and immediately descended onto the scene.

As Hay Lin continued hovering within the air, she turned away from the now safe and tended to Karmilla in time to see the still erect roof of the amphitheater, which she'd initially believed to be collapsing, was now glowing an eerie, yet vaguely familiar emerald aura . . . at the same time that the fiery stage beneath it appeared to be being put out by an unseen force.

It wasn't the _watery_ means she'd originally been expecting, as she was sure that Irma had reached the lake by now in order to presumably manipulate its waters within such a way which would help extinguish the ongoing blaze.

Perhaps she'd hit a snag along the way, and was then forced to pass on the responsibility onto another fellow mutant who might have stayed behind to help.

Either way, Hay Lin _wasn't_ about to wait to find out.

_Better go back and check_ , Hay Lin thought with a light frown, her insides beginning to knot up a bit all over again as she continued to hope for her best friend's well being, before flying back toward the ongoing wreckage.

* * *

 

Elyon wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up, literally.

While her biggest concern right within that moment continued to be keeping everyone safe, her naturally small frame was rapidly beginning to struggle against the immense strain the collapsing roof was placing upon her, both within body and mind.

She felt her outstretched arms aching and a mild headache beginning to form as she nearly fell forward, yet somehow managed to maintain her otherwise firm stance, effectively now trapped directly beneath the crumbling roof until either she'd succeeded within preventing its literal downfall, or she was grievously overcome. . . .

Suddenly, a rich, green hue slowly, yet surely began to envelop the surrounding structure Elyon had single-handedly continued to keep aloft, its illumination providing one of the only remaining nearby light sources outside of the menacing flames crackling angrily within the distance.

It initially almost resembled a delayed special effect from the now derailed rock concert, or a series of powerful glow sticks aligned all around her, before Elyon quickly realized its originating source.

" _J-Julian!_ Ohh, thank _God!_ " she cried out within immediate relief, as the raven haired boy in question and fellow housemate suddenly appeared at her side, a deep frown of concentration etched upon his pale face as he, too, clearly already began to struggle with the immense weight of the weakened structure above them.

"Y-You're . . . You're _welcome!_ " he replied within his habitually cocky tone, although his usual overconfidence appeared to be understandably failing him, as his own telekinetic abilities did not presently seem to be as potent as they normally would be. "Y-You're just . . . l-lucky I came _back,_ instead o-of leaving you to . . . to handle this _alone!_ "

Clearly, his own terror toward the overall severity of the situation was threatening to completely overwhelm him, causing the previous relief Elyon had been feeling _swiftly_ begin to dissipate as the signature, emerald glow emitting from Julian's dark blue eyes flickered wildly, which _both_ mutual students understood to be a sign of his focus wearing off.

As incredibly capable and powerful the wealthy young man had initially already been prior to his parent's having organized his 'shipment' (as he'd referred to it) to _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ one year ago, Julian's telekinetic gifts were still nonetheless within its refinement stage, meaning that most distractions, big _or_ small, would still render him unable to use said abilities.

Worse still was the _other_ side of the spectrum, as Elyon had come to observe over the past year, which was that if Julian were to grow even the _littlest_ bit aggravated, let alone full on livid, his gifts were suddenly capable of yielding rather _catastrophic_ results.

And considering that both students were _knee deep_ within a situation not one of the Danger Room's design, with real life consequences should they fail, Elyon couldn't readily blame Julian for presently allowing his emotions to get the better of him . . . even if it meant that doing so would most probably grant far more _bedlam_ than calm. . . .

Knowing what was regrettably about to happen, Elyon quickly grunted, "J-Just . . . head back to the mansion, Julian! T-This is _clearly_ too much for you . . . n-not . . . not to mention of you r-running the risk of _exposure_ if you stay and keep using your powers out in the open like this!"

" _T-Tch!_ You s-sound like . . . like my _folks!_ B-Besides, it's not l-like _you_ were doing much better on your own! R . . . _Rarrrrgh!_ " Julian fired back angrily, right before his eyes, as well as the roof he'd been helping to keep mentally suspended stopped glowing, collapsing to his knees within utter exhaustion . . . at the same time that the 'side effect' to his psionic abilities frighteningly triggered themselves, causing the roof to suddenly _combust_ and sending rubble flying absolutely everywhere and, in particular, straight down onto them _both_. . . .

* * *

 

"O-Oh, my _God!_ It's a complete _disaster_ zone! A-Are you sure you about this, Cornelia?" Taranee gasped within utter alarm as she continued running alongside both the blonde, as well as Will, whom she could hear nearly _hyperventilating_ at her side, yet somehow had been able to keep her Electrokinetic abilities under control . . . or, at least, was no longer visibly firing off sparks all over her body.

For now.

" _Y-Yes,_ Taranee, I am! No one told you - Or _you_ , Will - to come after me! You could have stayed behind and alerted The Professor, so that he could run some 'interference' for the undoubted aftermath!" Cornelia hissed within response, although both her eyes, in addition to overall demeanor continued to illustrate the profound trepidation the trio shared among themselves equally. "B-Because from the _looks_ of things, he's going to need to wipe _a lot_ of minds once we get in there to help - _Especially_ once the fire department gets here!"

Cornelia hadn't really thought much past escaping the institute before most probably being quarantined by the one, or all of her professors, and then somehow getting down to the now dilapidated amphitheater in time to help contain the chaos as best she could . . . all while also _hopefully_ finding Elyon to be in one piece.

So it was rather fortunate that Providence appeared to be within her favor, as rather than having to wait at the bus stop as originally intended, the trio had come across twins and fellow students Jeanne-Marie, and Jean-Paul Beaubier, and pleaded with the visibly shaken upperclassmen to not only _return_ to the scene their mutual super speed had certainly played a hand at assisting their previous escape, but to take all three girls along _with_ them.

It was honestly becoming quite the blur to Cornelia at this point, the way she'd somehow managed to convince the both of them to do this favor for her (although she was now certain that an unspoken agreement had been made that she would one day need to _return_ it, if ever either twin would ask) . . . even knowing how tricky, as well as _tiresome_ it would become for them to fly Cornelia, _and_ her companions back to the scene, given that neither sibling possessed _super strength_ on top of the abilities they actually did.

_Thankfully_ , however, the task had been accomplished without incident, with Cornelia volunteering to be the one to hang precariously in between a far more secure, albeit utterly terrified Taranee and Will during the rather speedy flight both twins had simultaneously provided, _smartly_ choosing to combine their efforts in order to better alleviate the added pressure.

And thankfully, still, that Will had actually lost _conscious_ nearly right from the start, as otherwise Cornelia was absolutely certain the redhead's still developing Electrokinetic abilities would have overwhelmed not only herself, but also everyone _else_ , as well, causing all five students to most probably plunge dangerously to the ground.

_Regardless_ , they had made it to the amphitheater in one piece, _and_ within more than half the time it would have originally taken Cornelia had she been forced to take the bus.

Before departing, both Jean-Paul and Jeanne-Marie had carefully dropped the girls far off to the side of the now crumbling amphitheater, right along the abandoned shoreline of the surrounding lake so as not to draw attention.

They had also done so, as explained by Jeanne-Marie, so that Will, once she'd waken up, would "have an immediate place to _vomit_ , as we're pretty sure she'll want to. _Most_ people do whenever flying with us right after their first lift. . . ."

After that, it was all up to Cornelia and her friends to figure out their next course of action, as the Beaubier Twins, although now wishing to stay to help, after all, ultimately decided to _first_ use their speedy abilities in order to head back to the institute to ensure that The Professor really _was_ on his way, before returning to assist within the evacuation.

Cornelia would have taken a moment to be impressed by _Taranee_ having managed to not only stay awake during their swift flight, but did not appear to need to be sick, herself, as both girls had immediately descended onto Will and attempted to revive her as fast as they could without causing more harm than good.

True to Jeanne-Marie's word, Will really _did_ need to purge the very moment she was conscious again a few moments later, causing both Taranee and Cornelia to promptly release her as she shakily crawled toward the lapping lakeside and proceeded to empty her stomach of majority, if not all of the snacks and other goodies she'd previously been enjoying during her long interrupted sleepover.

Will was lucky enough to be mindful of her newest surroundings just in time, however, as she'd managed to stop a few feet away from the water, at the same time that her body erupted into an active conduit once more.

And yet, there she now was, somehow regathering her bearings and quickly managing to calm her powers down long enough in order to courageously insist that she was _still_ coming with.

However Will might have personally felt about her overall capabilities as a newly discovered mutant, _Cornelia_ , at least, now felt an overabundance of respect, as well as pride toward her. . . .

"S-So what do you suggest we do _first_ , b-because everything seems to be going to _hell!_ " Will cried with widened eyes in between heavy breaths, her legs somehow carrying her _toward_ the blatant danger, rather than _away_ as she greatly wished them to.

"W-We . . . We split up, help anyone who needs it, and t-try to contain the destruction as _much_ as we can until the fire department arrives! And I-I'll send a mental message to Elyon to try to find out where she is in all this!" Cornelia quickly instructed, doing her best to ignore the chilling gust of wind blowing in from the lake, as a slicing shiver then began to ripple up and down her spine within the same way it had done during her high speed 'taxi ride,' all courtesy of being the most exposed of the three of them.

She then abruptly stopped within her tracks right before leaving her companions, and reached out to clasp each of their hands within her own.

"Y-You both came to make sure that I was safe and had the help I'd need . . . and I'm grateful. But now, now I _know_ you can do this! I _know_ you can do what needs to be done in order to ensure the safety of those who are still here! Now, come on! Let's hurry!"

* * *

 

Taranee hadn't the faintest idea how she was going to assist _anyone_ who still remained, mutant or non-mutant, as she had only thus far been able to _melt_ various objects here and there through her particular gifts.

After all, she was meant to be making sure everything _didn't_ continue to spiral further out of control, not _contribute_ , as she was quite certain that her specific brand of abilities would undoubtedly do if she attempted to use them.

And considering that, through the limited lighting which presently remained lit within that immediate area, she was able to venture a quick guess that at least half of Karmilla's previously congested audience were all who now remained, she really wasn't sure what use she'd be.

Still, she knew that she at least had to try.

Both Cornelia _and_ Will, wherever they now were within the fleeing crowd, believed that she could.

Taranee did her best to recall what little training she'd been receiving thus far . . . _especially_ once her brown eyes had properly focused upon the rising, honest _inferno_ as she drew closer, and which was now woefully overtaking majority of the formerly in tact stage.

Perhaps her mind had still been back within the _air_ during her unexpected flight with the Beaubier Twins, having silently prayed over and _over_ that she survive and that Jeanne-Marie, in particular, would sustain the Thermokinetic's weight, as she'd been the one to have had direct hold of the partially dangling Taranee via beneath her arms.

Yes, maybe _that_ was it, some sort of out of body experience, perhaps, if the normally sharp teenager had _somehow_ missed the menacing blaze which now lay before her, which threatened to spill over from the stage and spread further out onto the _highly_ flammable field!

"O-Oh, my _G-God!_ " Taranee screamed as she _immediately_ halted, allowing several concertgoers to ruthlessly bump into either side of her body as _they_ all smartly ran _away_ from the danger. "O-Okay! Okay! W-What . . . What do I _do?_ F-First, remember to _breathe_ , Taranee! T-Then . . . Then pretend t-this is just another training session! Y-Yes! 'O-Objective: S-Somehow Put Out the L-Life Taking _Hellfire!_ ' Ohhh, I _really_ w-wish the fire department would just get here, already!"

Although she could now thankfully _hear_ the familiar sound of sirens wailing in the distance, as though on cue, Taranee knew that if something wasn't done about the blaze, and now, it really _would_ overtake more than just the utterly defenseless platform. . . .

And so, with every last ounce of willpower she presently possessed _not_ to complete fall to pieces and allow her phobia to win once more, Taranee began to dig deep within herself as she concentrated . . . concentrated on her overwhelming desire to help, despite remembering once again that her Thermokinetic abilities only appeared to be offensive within nature, thus far.

She quickly then recalled all of her past tutorial lessons during the last month that she'd been attending _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ , in particular the one she'd most recently shared with Will, when she'd informed the redhead of how Professor Clarkson had reminded Taranee to be ready for the very real possibility that her powers might one day evolve into full on _Pyrokinesis._

_._ . . . And then, just like that, a new idea sprang to mind.

_W-Wait . . . if I can generate heat with my powers . . . then why couldn't I try to diminish it, if I really can control temperatures like Professor Clarkson said?_ Taranee's naturally analytical mind rapidly began to knit together, squeezing her eyes shut as she for once _wished_ to possess the ability to control fire directly, rather than her frequent desire toward the contrary up until now.

As the surrounding crowd around her continued to disperse, honestly ricocheting her body back and forth like a ping pong ball and threatening to break her concentration, Taranee somehow managed to envision within her mind's eye the fire she could hear openly roaring in the distance.

She then did her absolute best to focus on how _hot_ she knew it to be despite the cooling, surrounding breeze of that evening, which had just then finished caressing the back of her neck for furthered emphasis.

And then, Taranee began to slowly, yet surely imagine the complete _opposite_ of her present reality, envisioning the intimidating flames to decrease within intensity and _somehow_ becoming starved for oxygen, in spite of the surrounding abundance, before safely dying away into nothingness.

Chancing a peek, not really knowing whether or not she'd managed to actualize her vision, Taranee gasped within sheer surprise and accomplishment as not only _had_ her Thermokinetic gifts truly come through for her in a way she'd never before attempted, but a sudden _tidal wave_ was headed straight for the stage's now dying fire . . . at the same time that its roofing, which she hadn't before realized had been enveloped within a weakly flickering glow of green until now, abruptly _exploded_ into thousands of pieces. . . .

* * *

 

How had the _greatest_ night of her young life suddenly devolve into the end of days?

One minute, Irma had been taking Selfie after Selfie, in between discreetly filming the amazingly _amazing_ Karmilla and her band, _and_ singing and dancing right along to each number which had played.

And she had been in the perfect position, as well, dead center of the open field of the amphitheater, although not _too_ far away so that Irma wouldn't be able to imagine being called onto the stage to sing alongside her idol.

And then, just like that, _chaos_ had ensued, and _right_ when Irma was about to slow dance with Andrew Hornby, the senior hottie of a jock she'd had her eye on periodically during the last two years she'd been at _Bayville High_.

It _would_ figure that when she'd finally seized the perfect opportunity to get to know him better, seeing as the fates had seen fit to coincidentally have him stand originally next to _Hay Lin_ within the crowd, before the brunette had _immediately_ swapped places with her, the fates had also felt it necessary to quickly break up their would be moment by having everything _implode_ all around them!

Irma had zero clue how any of it had even started, and she'd barely had enough time to react by swan diving out of the way once the nearby, pillared loudspeakers from the stage toppled over and threatened to crush not only her, but many other fellow concertgoers alongside.

Although she did quickly look about the bolting gathering for Andrew in order to see that he was safe, because she no longer saw him at her side any longer made Irma feel confident enough to go in search for Hay Lin next, whom had temporarily retreated in order to use the bathroom during Karmilla's prior song number.

She might have been a bit more turned _off_ by the fact that Andrew had apparently been willing to completely leave her behind, considering that she was, to the untrained eye, 'just a girl,' _and_ one he was just about to dance with, if Irma wasn't also keenly aware that it was probably for the best as (as far as she was aware) Andrew didn't oppress any sort of mutant abilities, himself.

And so, if things continued to become as dicey as they were _already_ , the high school senior really _was_ better off seeking refuge elsewhere, as he naturally would be unable to protect himself.

There would be time to vent about how she'd been spurned by her kinda-sorta-yet-not-really date _later,_ either way . . . assuming she made it out of this in one piece. . . .

The rest was an honest blur to Irma . . . as she'd apparently been knocked _unconscious_ after that.

Well, no, beforehand, she _could_ recall bumping into Hay Lin right as she'd hurriedly exited the bathroom area, at the same time that a _tremendously_ foul odor accosted both of their sinuses while Irma struggled to focus on sending Elyon a telepathic message to see if she was all right.

What else . . . what else. . . .

Irma could now also remember that both girls _did_ manage to get through to Elyon, who surprisingly advised that they stay to assist anyone that they could, or at least, until _actual_ authorities arrived.

But there was something _else_ , though . . . something important that she'd seen right before everything had turned to absolute _shit_.

It was like like a . . . a strange sort of _light_ , or something, like something she'd probably witness during one of her training sessions within the Danger Room, almost. . . .

Yes . . . _yes!_

Irma could now recall that she _did_ manage to catch a glimpse of it from out of the corner of her eye, before it . . . hit the _stage_ , or, more specifically, the _stage lights_ , thus triggering the surrounding disaster!

But that _couldn't_ have just been it, could it?

Didn't Hay Lin also say that _she_ saw something, too?

_Whatever_ had managed to cause Irma to lose momentary consciousness sure appeared to be doing an absolute _number_ on her short term memory, to be sure . . . although she imagined that her absolute _fear_ over what was continually unfolding around her was more likely to blame.

She'd just have to figure everything else out and piece the remainder of her slowly returning memories _later_ , because right now, Irma needed to step up and do what Elyon had asked her to do prior to her having taken an impromptu catnap, and _help!_

Irma slowly rolled onto her side and wobbly propped herself up onto an elbow, gingerly rubbing at the back of her head as a sharp pain immediately began to branch out and wrap around to the front.

" _O-Ow_. . . damn it!" Irma cursed to herself as she vigorously caressed her head, looking about her partially darkened surroundings to see that she was somewhere behind the amphitheater a bit . . . which was now on _fire?_

_How_ was it suddenly on fire? Did she _know_ that it was on fire prior to losing consciousness?

And how did she find herself behind the building, at that?

She and Hay Lin must have formulated some sort of plan of their own on how best to handle the situation which was unraveling, and temporarily parted ways before . . . Irma had been incapacitated by whatever had managed to wallop her from behind.

"M-Miss a little, miss _a lot!_ " she hissed within renewed pain as she attempted to stand, before immediately realizing that the object which had most likely caused her temporary blackout now had her lower left leg pinned.

It was an honest _miracle_ that that lamp post, one of many which had been aligned nearer the front of the establishment, hadn't achieved far greater damage to her person all things considered, _especially_ to her cranium. . . .

"M-Must have . . . have just _clipped_ me on my side before falling over," Irma openly surmised in between winces of immense, white hot pain now searing throughout her _entire_ body. "T-Too bad it didn't want to lay off my _shin!_ . . . . _S-Shit!_ I've gotta fix this! G-Gotta . . . Gotta put out that fire first, _then_ figure out how to get this freaking thing off of me!"

Irma momentarily looked about her surroundings once more as her mind promptly attempted to block out her ongoing anguish as best she could, while simultaneously running the various Danger Room scenarios she'd participated within which involved her opposing element.

She could attempt to summon up a rainstorm . . . although, given the apparent intensity of the ongoing flames which could be seen even from her present position, coupled with her present level of capability, such finite control and patience might not presently be as effective as she'd understandably wish.

Still, maybe if Irma had more time, _and_ Hay Lin's backup to help die down the tempestuous flames alongside, it probably could be done. . . .

No.

What Irma needed was something _big_ , and fast.

And considering that she was presently unable to _go_ anywhere, in addition to the time that it would possibly take both Elyon and Hay Lin if she'd used the seconds she honestly didn't have to mentally call upon them for backup, Irma was going to have to do this solo. . . .

"Big . . . something b-big. . . ." Irma whimpered, as another wall of agony barreled into her once more. She then did a double take toward the honestly forgotten _lake_ which had ironically remained peacefully within the background of the continually crumbling amphitheater, as newfound inspiration instantly hit her. " _Big!_ T-That's it! I-If I can't take my time possibly building up a rainstorm . . . then m-maybe I can go the _o-opposite_ direction and summon up a quick burst of a _tidal wave!_ "

It was certainly worth a shot, anyway, although to say that Irma wasn't now feeling incredibly doubtful, in addition to somehow even _more_ afraid would have been an understatement.

After all, she was _already_ mostly incapacitated, with a massively throbbing headache which could honestly threaten of becoming indicative to a concussion.

What if she did manage to summon up her flood, and it _completely_ missed the burning wreckage, before only ending up slowing down and possibly _injuring_ any remaining patrons mid escape?

. . . . On the _other_ hand, the longer she continued to _literally_ sit there and waffle over her very limited options, the more failure really would become an actual reality.

And so, taking in as many deep, rhythmic breaths as she could presently muster, Irma vigorously shook out her hands as she fully sat up, slowly outstretching them toward the continually calm, and moonlit lake in the distance.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Irma _truly_ committed to the task at hand, completely pouring every last ounce of energy into making this work . . . and silently hoping that her actively choosing to slightly _bypass_ her normal teachings of otherwise taking her time whenever utilizing her mutant gifts as best as possible would not backfire. . . .

After only a few, extra moments, however, Irma nearly let out a sharp squeal of elation as she began to feel the familiar push and pull of her Hydrokinetic abilities activating and dancing against her fingertips, mimicking the natural ebb and flow of the element she controlled.

Beads of sweat began to form above Irma's delicately groomed brows as the water along the shoreline of the generally undisturbed lake suddenly became quite turbulent, as though perplexed as to which 'master' to obey.

" _A-Arrrrgh!_ " Irma cried out, immediately jerking her arms away from the now jostling lakeshore within an arch like motion, as a rather large column of water abruptly followed suit, almost _leaping_ out of the body of water and sailing toward the insidious fire . . . which curiously now appeared to be somehow losing its previous intensity.

Irma's head honestly felt as though it was seconds from literally splitting open right within that moment as her upper body collapsed back onto her side, her cyan colored eyes beginning to see _stars_ while she breathed heavily into the cool dirt beneath her.

Her ongoing physical injuries had severely limited any further output, and Irma was now only left with the belief that her personal efforts, however regrettably _brief_ , had been enough. . . .

An incredibly loud _boom_ suddenly pierced through the air, mimicking the sound of an explosion of some kind, within the same moment Irma heard a voice frantically scream out, ". . . . _I-Irma?_ O-Oh, my God! Irma! It _is_ you!"

She didn't even have enough energy to turn her head to the other side in order to stop eating dirt, let alone look up to see who was suddenly calling out her name, nor possibly now take _cover_ somewhere.

_Plus_ , if it turned out to be a non-mutant who'd just also happened to witness her 'magically' control a part of the massive lake moments prior, there was _no_ way Irma could readily talk her way out of it, as she might have honestly tried.

All she could do was simply lie there, and let come what may . . . at least, until _hopefully_ The Professor eventually arrived, anyhow. . . .

"H-Hold on! I'll . . . I'll set you free, _somehow!_ " Irma slowly began to recognize the voice as it quickly drew closer, before thankfully realizing that it'd belonged to _Taranee_ , who then gently lifted her upper half from off of the ground and rested her against her legs as she crouched down alongside her. "W-We've got to get out of here! The entire amphitheater's coming completely undone!"

Coughing profusely, now sputtering up stray bits of grass and dirt from out of her continually gasping mouth, Irma managed to flash a weak, wry smile before stating, ". . . . If only you . . . were here, like, _three minutes ago_. B-Better . . . Better late than never, e-eh? . . . . W-Wait, _what?_ "

Raising an eyebrow within slight confusion toward the brunette's curiously daft, yet lax nature, especially given the ongoing circumstances, Taranee instead shook her pigtailed head as her given response . . . before swiftly shifting her attention onto the fallen lamppost which continued to have her friend's leg mercilessly trapped.

After a few moments, Irma curiously began to feel the section of the top half of the post grow rather warm with each passing second, as she then watched Taranee carefully place her free hand on top of it.

And then, before either girl could say another word, both watched within amazement as the fallen lamppost suddenly gave way beneath Taranee's outstretched palm, an honestly sloppy, albeit still quite _menacing_ looking jagged, and seared line carving straight through the previously unyielding metal.

Taranee let out a satisfied exhale as she removed her unaffected hand away from the now split apart lamppost, and gingerly set Irma back onto the ground before moving toward the broken object in order to begin lifting it from off of Irma's agonizing limb.

"A-And . . . you were worried you weren't . . . getting the hang of your gifts!" Irma complimented with an abrupt hiss as she wearily watched the Thermokinetic girl _thankfully_ push the post completely off of her, finally freeing her. "J-Just . . . thanks for not melting a hole straight through my _bones_ i-in the process. . . . N-Now, how'd you find me down here, a-anyway, and what . . . w-what was that loud _noise_ from before?"

"I-I saw the . . . flood, I suppose, that _you'd_ apparently summoned to help extinguish the stage fire, and came down here to find its source! W-Well, honestly, I was running for my _life_ , since the roof which had been extending from the stage just _exploded!_ " Taranee fearfully explained as best she could, before then doing her best to quickly examine the other girl's injury. "O-Oh, _gosh_ , your shin looks like it might be broken, and -! Your head! It's _bleeding!_ "

" _M-Mmm_ . . . is _that_ what this excruciating pain's all about? I h-honestly wasn't . . . wasn't sure, myself," Irma groaned within her patented, sarcastic humor within the face of severity, blowing out another breath of immense misery, although her eyes slowly widened within renewed panic as she returned her attention toward the field ahead, which was now riddled with heaps of rubble which varied within size. . . .

Taranee shakily draped Irma's arm across her neck, before carefully helping her onto her feet as best she could.

"W-Well, come on, then! It'll be a bit of a walk back toward the entrance and main road from here - And most probably _painful_ , but we have to escape, and get you to a _doctor!_ " she concluded as she fruitlessly tried her best to conceal her understandable concern for her injured companion, in addition to their present calamity. "B-But at least . . . at least we'd managed to put the fire out, together, r-right?"

Irma had honestly forgotten to ask if the cascading deluge she'd previously summoned even _had_ hit its mark, she was now _that_ much out of it and growing more and more dizzy, and _sleepy_ , with each passing moment.

However, as the pair then began to wobbly approach the front of now charred, although thankfully extinguished stage, Irma slowly smiled within relief as a result of her . . . no, _their_ efforts?

Taranee could douse flames, now, as well? Since when?

Too exhausted to dig for further information, Irma chose instead to file it away, knowing that the 'Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater Disaster,' as she was already referring to it within her mostly addled mind would be an event the people of Bayville would be talking about for _months_ , maybe even _years_. . . .

". . . . G-Great . . . Great concert," she murmured underneath her breath as continued to hobble alongside Taranee as best she could, sloppily dodging the bits of debris directly within their path as she seized another opportunity to make light of their overall situation.

She felt she'd earned the right to so now without much guilt, as she was thankfully able to see that, minus the appreciatively approaching authorities, the previously packed concert field had been completely cleared away of any straggling patron.

Well, with the exception of a few of the girls' mutual companions, that is, who appeared to have also locked their sights onto them, as well. . . .

* * *

 

This was all too _much_.

She knew that she'd agreed to provide aid as much as she could, as _best_ as she could . . . but honestly, what would Will be able to do with _her_ set abilities which could provide any sort of benefit toward the unraveling state of affairs?

As it was, it was taking most of her of concentration not to let her Electrokinetic gifts get the better of her once again, obviously not wishing to expose herself openly as a mutant, but to more importantly not accidentally _electrocute_ any innocent person who was in the middle of vacating the scene.

Still, Will was surprisingly determined to at least try, even against all better judgment to simply wait for the _authorities_ to handle everything, especially given that they were actually _trained_ for this sort of thing, versus her measly _week_ of tutorial lessons.

Speaking of, Cornelia _had_ fleetingly mentioned that _she'd_ been trained, herself . . . but for _what?_

How could anything the students at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ were presently learning make any one of them anywhere _near_ capable of handling what was happening?

_I-It's all right, Will, it's all right. . . . J-Just focus on the practical! People are s-scared, and are trying to leave safely! So let's do this step by step, and make sure that they do - And that you do, as well,_ Will thought in between shaky breaths filled with ongoing trepidation and uncertainty, as she nonetheless allowed herself to get swallowed up by the thankfully decreasing crowd, while continuing her frightened dash further into the open field.

So far, so _good_ as Will's powers had yet to flare up on her again as she began to weakly direct the frenzied congregation toward the entrance-way back up onto the hill, admittedly feeling a bit _foolish_ about it, as her minimal efforts not only were mostly ignored, but honestly were not needed as it _was_ otherwise quite obvious.

Simply go anywhere where the present, impending doom _wasn't_.

So Will instead shifted her focus onto relocating Taranee and Cornelia, who were both presumably now _somewhere_ within the dispersing herd.

She imagined she probably should have at least stuck by _Taranee's_ side and assisted with any idea _she_ might have had, herself, as Will felt she would have been a much bigger help within that way, to be sure.

Plus, she wouldn't have to continually fight against thinking the _worst_ , as she _had_ originally agreed to come along in order to keep her new friend safe, after all.

. . . . And considering that there was an intense _fire_ wildly burning on what apparently _used_ to be the stage of the amphitheater, Will could only pray that wherever Taranee was right now, she was _well_ away from it. . . .

Will continued to survey the treacherous vicinity as best she could, stumbling over what felt like understandably abandoned, personal effects within the mostly darkened area . . . when her brown eyes somehow landed onto the now familiar, small frame of _Elyon_ , who appeared to be greatly struggling with some sort of invisible force.

Will doubted that she'd have been able to pick the blonde from out of the crowd regularly, as although the vast field within their specific location was now mostly sparse, there was really only the tall blaze before them to illuminate their way.

That, _and_ the mysterious, flickering green light enveloping the amphitheater's partial roofing she had only just now noticed, which honestly appeared to be _tremendously_ unsteady, and . . . was about to _cave in_ on Elyon!

" _E-Elyon!_ " Will cried out as she immediately doubled her pace, reaching out her right arm toward the Telepathic mutant, as she tried to get to her in time in order to push her out of the way . . . but was too late.

Or, so she thought.

For, the very moment Will had only just managed to close the distance between Elyon and herself . . . in _addition_ to the onyx haired boy she hadn't before realized to also be there, hunched over by her side, a _miracle_ occurred.

Originally only desiring to grab onto her companion and perhaps roll them both out of harm's way before the collapsing roof had buried them both alive, Will could not believe her eyes . . . or _hand_ , rather, as not only had it triggered her Electrokinesis, it had somehow generated a large, dome shaped and electromagnetic _force field_ of some sort, which then proceeded to encase the trio with much needed protection.

Although now _completely_ terrified once more, Will didn't dare make a sound nor move a muscle, lest her apparent new ability suddenly give way and the presently falling debris penetrated through her electrified shield . . . instead of continuing to simply further shatter apart, if not fully _disintegrate_ upon impact. . . .

". . . . _W-Will?_ What the -? How are you here? H-How are you _doing_ that?" Will could hear Elyon ask within an understandable haze of confusion at her side, while Will continued to gaze up toward her crackling hand, which was now aloft directly above their heads as the electrically created force field continued to keep them encased, and unharmed. "J-Julian! Julian, are you _okay?_ "

" _U-Ugh_ . . . y-yeah. Yeah, I think so," Will chanced a quick glance to her left to watch the previously unidentified boy slowly rise to his feet with Elyon's help. He then vigorously rubbed at his temples, as though attempting to lull away a severe migraine, before then resting his eyes onto his apparent savior. "I, uh . . . don't know who you are, but thanks for the assist! Elyon and I would have been _toast_ if you hadn't come along when you had!"

Although she wanted to _verbally_ respond to both teenagers now stood beside her, Will, still feeling far too hesitant to further splinter her focus, instead merely nodded, causing Elyon to tiredly smile within furthered appreciation and the one known as Julian to lightly _scoff_ within obvious offense.

"Tch. _Whatever_ , then. Look, I think we're out of the clear over _here_ , so why not drop your shield so I can get out of here, already?" Julian more or less commanded, his tone of voice and sudden attitude change, _especially_ after nearly losing his life greatly rubbing Will the wrong way . . . yet she regrettably did as she'd been told, whether she liked it or not.

As the immediate danger truly _had_ passed where the three of them continued to stand, with now merely a billowing of wind stirred up from the fallen debris, there was still the _remainder_ of the roof's collapse which Will could not have prevented from crashing down to contend with.

That, as well as the stage fire, which was . . . inexplicably no longer anywhere near as potent as it'd just been moments before.

Still, before she could stop herself, Will felt the increasingly familiar, tingling sensation of her Electrokinetic abilities being used subside within her fingertips, as the protective shield around her wavered in and out a few moments, before completely vanishing altogether. . . .

" _Thank_ you! I'll use my cell phone to call the mansion on my way out, Elyon, but I'm _definitely_ done helping out for tonight - Couldn't give anymore, anyway, even if I _wanted_ to," Julian tiredly remarked with a sideways, dismissive glance toward a now frowning Will, as he then already began to make his swift exit before either girl could object. ". . . . And if you're smart, you'll _both_ follow my lead!"

Although still feeling rather put off by the overall attitude of the boy she'd just saved, Will wondered if Julian wasn't wrong, watching him run to safety a moment before carefully clutching onto Elyon's arm, who curiously appeared as though she were listening to something which clearly only she could hear.

"H-He's _right_ , Elyon! I-I mean, _look_ at this field! If I hadn't . . . somehow did _whatever_ I just did, you could have died! We _all_ could have!" Will reasoned in between coughs as she frantically waved in front of her face in order to fan away the dusty air. "A-And the _stage!_ Please help me find the others so that we can get _out_ of here like everyone else!"

Knowing that her friend had a point, especially now that she, too, was greatly beginning to feel as though she might have bitten off far more than she could chew after her near death experience, Elyon gazed toward the now slowly dying fire before returning her focus onto the panicked redhead in front of her, and nodded.

". . . . Y-Yes, okay! _Okay!_ B-But I think that . . . that _C-Cornelia_ might be try - _Ahh!_ " she began, before both she and Will, especially, let out a startled cry the moment their eyes settled onto the sudden wall of water which appeared to be barreling in from the lake behind the burned down, and demolished amphitheater. . . .

Both sets of legs were momentarily locked in place as they continued to watch as the abrupt flood cascaded over the stage, managing to successfully put out the previously quieting fire, before splashing down onto the ground and heading _straight_ for them with frighteningly rapid speed.

"Look _out_ , Will!" Elyon shouted upon managing to snap herself out of her previous stupor, knowing how much getting doused by the oncoming torrent could severely injure the redhead far greater than her own self, as she then quickly placed herself in front of the trembling, _sparking_ Will before preparing for impact.

She was about to attempt re-summoning her Telekinesis in order to repel at least some of the watery force, despite her continued fatigue, when suddenly both girls felt the ground angrily quaking beneath their feet at the same time that an ample gale began stirring up all around them.

Elyon let out a sharp cry of pain as Will, unable to maintain her balance due to her continued affliction, regrettably toppled onto her from behind and succeeded within granting the blonde an intense electrical shock . . . within the same moment that an immense fissure abruptly formed and sliced through the ground in front of them, causing the previously oncoming deluge to _thankfully_ dip into it.

"E-Elyon! Will! _There_ you are!"

"Oh, no, you're hurt!" Will, quickly rolling off of a still conscious, yet wincing Elyon, looked toward the familiar sounding voices to their right in time to see Hay Lin and Cornelia rushing toward them, with Hay Lin having her hands elegantly out in front of her, as she appeared to be 'sweeping' the remaining gushing water away from them and further into the chasm via her Aerokinetic abilities.

" _C-Cornelia!_ You're okay! A-And _Hay Lin_ , thank God!" Will gushed within immense alleviation as she quickly drew in as many breaths as possible within attempt to speed up the process of calming her powers down.

She then thanked both girls for having evidently used their combined gifts at just the right time and saved her life, especially, before reaching out to help sit Elyon up with a thankfully depowered hand.

"I-I wasn't fast enough to stop myself from hurting Elyon! I'm _soo_ sorry! C-Can you stand?"

Cornelia, her face now white as a _sheet_ and contorted into one of absolute hysteria immediately descended onto Elyon and nudged Will away as delicately as she could, before then wrapping both arms around the smaller blonde within a fierce embrace . . . and didn't appear as though she would ever let go.

"O-Oh, God, Elyon! Y-You don't . . . I-I mean, I was so . . . so worried that I wouldn't be able to find you! We heard what was happening and came down to help, b-but there were just t-too many people that I couldn't see you, and -!" Cornelia blurted out, her voice uncharacteristically shaky and tears already streaming down her face before she could stop herself. "A-And then suddenly the roof . . . _e-exploded_ while I was busy helping with the evacuation on the o-other side of the amphitheater . . . a-and after Hay Lin thankfully managed to find me, we did our best to prevent the rubble from falling onto any lingering concertgoers! . . . . I-I was _trying_ to send you a psychic message once I'd arrived, b-but honestly everything was just happening so _fast_ that I wasn't able to focus long enough, while also using my powers! B-But I'm . . . I'm just _glad_ that you're in one p-piece! _H-Here_ . . . j-just lie still. . . ."

Elyon, face now partially buried within Cornelia's chilled neck and collarbone, due to her best friend's continued, almost _suffocating_ embrace, could only do as she was told as the sharp, shooting pain she continued to feel in spite of her admittedly high physical endurance suddenly dampened, before then being replaced by the warm and inviting sensations of what she knew to be Cornelia's recently learned healing ability taking effect.

After several more moments had passed, feeling satisfied that she had done her job, at least well enough for the four of them to vacate the premises and seek out _proper_ medical attention, Cornelia released the breath she'd been holding as she finally pulled Elyon away from her, and smiled faintly within obvious relief.

She then turned her attention onto Will and gave her a smile of her own, this one full of honest appreciation before reaching out to tightly squeeze her hand.

" _T-Thank_ you, Will. . . ." Cornelia whispered in between dying sobs, taking a moment to quickly look the now blushing redhead over in order to make certain that she also hadn't been injured within any way.

As Will was about to respond, feeling that she should somehow clarify that she had simply been in the right place at the right time, Elyon suddenly cleared her throat a few times before slowly pointing toward both Will's, as well as Cornelia's present attire.

"W-What . . . Why a-are you both wearing your _pajamas_ here?" she asked out of understandable perplexity, as Cornelia quickly then looked down at the now open robe of her silk nightgown, and fruitlessly attempted to shield away the evidence from the other blonde. "I-I mean, _Will_ I did know wasn't coming to the concert, tonight, anyway, b-but _you_ were already dressed and on your way down, Cornelia. . . . What's going on?"

"Umm, _m-maybe_ we should talk about everything and anything _later_ , like when we're far away from this disaster zone, okay? B-Because, _look!_ I can see The Professor's limo pulling up onto the hill! A-And is that . . . It is! Guys, see? It's _Taranee_ , and . . . Irma? _Irma_ , what h-happened?" Cornelia heard Hay Lin thankfully save her from what she already knew would be an incredibly awkward, incredibly _unavoidable_ conversation, letting out a startled shriek of alarm as she immediately took off toward the other side of the now empty field, where the remaining trio could now each see the two girls in question slowly making their way up the natural elevation and away from the vicinity.

It was initially a bit hard to tell from where they continued to sit, but each girl could then just make out an exhausted looking Taranee, who appeared to be partially carrying a mysteriously _hopping_ Irma . . . whose face was honestly riddled with overwhelming pain, and as though she might _vomit_ within any moment. . . .

Will was the next one to react as she, too, bolted straight onto her feet and already took off into a feverish sprint toward the sight.

"I-Irma? _Taranee!_ What happened to you guys?" Cornelia and Elyon listened to the swiftly retreating redhead call out within fierce concern, closing the distance within no time at all before helping Hay Lin take over for Taranee by leading the injured Irma toward the exit.

"H-Here, come on. Let's get you up and out of here, s-so both that you and Irma can get looked over at the hospital," Cornelia breathed tiredly now that her previous adrenaline had quickly subsided, although her worry then returned tenfold by the sight of her new roommate, and how _banged_ _up_ she appeared to be.

Although she truly did feel concerned for the brunette's well being, even in spite of their lingering differences, Cornelia couldn't help but also feel a wash of relief that it hadn't been _Elyon_ to have sustained such injuries, a feeling which was then followed by crippling _guilt_. . . .

Elyon merely nodded within response as she gratefully accepted her friend's outstretched hand and shakily rose to her feet alongside her, before wearily allowing herself to place majority of her weight against Cornelia's side as she carefully led her to safety.

Cornelia hesitated a moment before slowly wrapping an arm around Elyon's now disheveled form in order to better keep her aloft, resisting the urge to begin crying once more as her mind replayed that evening's events.

If only she hadn't been so _stubborn_ and felt the need for self-pity, she would have already _been_ at the concert and better able to look out for Elyon, once everything had begun to unravel the way that it had.

Once again, she'd allowed her secret, unrequited feelings toward her best friend to get the better of her, and _this_ time it had nearly jeopardized her safety. . . .

Cornelia's mind fleetingly then shifted onto _Caleb_ , beginning to wonder how long _he_ had stuck around before apparently choosing to save his _own_ hide.

In truth, she didn't suppose she could fully fault him, as he _was_ literally powerless to prevent things from getting worse, the way that Elyon and the rest of her companions had done.

Still, the jealousy which regrettably triggered itself every time she thought of the brunet caused Cornelia's rationale to fall by the wayside, as she now felt herself resenting her rival all the more.

She had a _very_ strong feeling that both she and Caleb would be having a rather ' _interesting_ ' conversation come Monday morning, to be sure. . . .

* * *

 

". . . . Are you absolutely certain you can manage this? True, you _are_ quite powerful, but Himerish, this was _a lot_ of people present, and majority have already scattered to who knows where," Himerish listened to Yan Lin voice her understandable concern next to him, within the back of his private limousine.

"Perhaps, Yanny, but I've no other choice. Nothing of this magnitude has ever happened before, and so we must take every measure to ensure that the incident remains contained, _especially_ upon having sensed so many mutant abilities being openly used," he explained within reply and a firm nod, gazing out the tinted window toward the absolute destruction of what was the once peaceful sight of _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_. "Now, Kadma and Halinor have already gone ahead to see if they can locate any of our remaining students, while naturally, Cassidy headed toward the ambulance vans to see where she might be able to assist. I must do _my_ part, as well. . . ."

"Then . . . I shall be right here, by your side, should anything happen," Yan Lin nodded within understanding, regrettably conceding to her old friend's decision, as she then remained both silent and still in order to allow absolute concentration to settle down onto the incredibly efficacious Telepath.

Leaning forward toward the habitually stocked, though rarely used bar, Himerish carefully pressed the dark colored button hidden discreetly off to its side, causing it to slide open horizontally and reveal a silver tinted helmet placed delicately within the center.

Yan Lin watched with worried eyes as Himerish lifted the familiar headpiece and slowly placed it onto his smooth, bald head before closing his eyes, the both of them knowing what was about to occur next.

Effortlessly activating his telepathic abilities, Himerish allowed his mutant gifts to merge with the amplifying applications of his Cerebra device, and began to extend his mind altering reach farther than he ever had before, or had ever needed to before now.

Himerish could immediately sense every individual, mutant and non-mutant alike as far as a fifty mile radius, his mind positively _flooding_ with the varying, mostly fearful thoughts of what the majority of them had witnessed earlier that evening.

His powers quickly _bypassed_ the infiltrating voices and accompanying feelings, as he then turned both back around onto all of them with one, unified and consistent thought which now took over:

_This week's earthquake had resulted in unchecked, broken electrical and gas lines, causing tonight's entire incident. . . ._

Yan Lin fought the great urge to reach out and physically comfort Himerish as his face became writhed with tremendous, mental strain, however nonetheless continued to deliver his message repeatedly until he was absolutely certain that he was successful.

After another instant had passed, Himerish's eyes snapped open as he drew in a sharp, yet satisfying inhale of ease, turning his attention back onto the concerned Yan Lin sat next to him, and smiled gently.

". . . . It is done," he revealed with an added nod, slowly removing the portable Cerebra from off of his head, before replacing it carefully back into its former resting place.

A growing pang of guiltiness slowly began to creep inside of him as both he, and Yan Lin turned their attention back outside and watched the surrounding authorities, as well as straggling bystanders simultaneously stop within their tracks a moment . . . before then resuming their actions, as though an invisible factory reset button had been activated deep within each of them.

Although vastly powerful, indeed, Himerish never truly enjoyed utilizing the mind manipulating capability of his psionic gifts, as it actively went against his personal philosophy of honoring free will to all those who would have it.

Still . . . for the ongoing well being of his students, whose safety was naturally entrusted to him by each of their parents, as well as other legal guardians upon their enrollment, he would do what he had to do to maintain it. . . .

"Then . . . what is our next step?" Yan Lin quietly asked, knowing all too well how emotionally conflicted her friend and headmaster was presently feeling.

"We'll . . . collect any lingering students, and then regroup back at the mansion, accordingly," Himerish replied with a light nod, reaching out to unlock his passenger side door in order to step outside. "But, even with my telepathic influence, I have no doubt that people will be wondering about this for quite some time, meaning that we must all now double our efforts toward remaining ever vigilant, and undetected. . . ."

****\- End of Chapter Eight** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Won't bother with my usual, 'in depth' post-A.N., as I'm not honestly sure anyone finished reading this, but just in case, I just wanted to point out the three canon characters briefly used and whom exist within the X-Men series: Jeanne-Marie and Jean-Paul Beaubier, a.k.a. Aurora and Northstar, and Julian Keller, a.k.a. Hellion.
> 
> While I'm not terribly, terribly familiar with them, I did, again, want to showcase a few more of the girls' fellow schoolmates in order to further diversify its overall atmosphere, and to also continually avoid simply creating my own fan-mutants, as it would personally take ME out of this created universe.
> 
> ….Generally not a big fan of, well, fan-characters, although with very few exceptions, such as if they're simply filler and no one even realizes they are until outright told, etc.
> 
> Anyhow, within this chapter's specific case, choosing those three canon mutants fit for me, as I did want to have another Telekinetic mutant featured alongside Elyon, for example, yet purposefully not have them overshadow her own capabilities too much...even though Julian's pretty capable, himself, regularly.
> 
> But since this obviously an A.U. and each of the students are still teenagers/still learning, I sort of nerfed his abilities some...although the bit about his inability to readily use his powers if distracted, or suddenly being capable of going full on Piper Halliwell from 'Charmed' by exploding things if too pissed off I did keep. =)
> 
> And as for the twins, again, I'm still not super 'besties' with them, either, info wise, but I do know that they're capable of carrying other people around while flying with their super speed...just not as fast as they normally would if they were by themselves, I believe.
> 
> Sooo...yep, I was kinda right, as I looked them up again just now. They really don't travel any faster than 'sixty miles per hour' whenever with another person who isn't used to it, so as not to cause any sort of lasting harm.
> 
> Obviously still pretty fast, but yeah.
> 
> I'd tried to convey them flying not tremendously high off from the ground, as well, as they obviously tried to prevent suffocation and all those other 'goodies' for Cornelia and the others.
> 
> What else...oh, right. I'd also borrowed the overall design and layout of Bayville's now former amphitheater to that of 'St. Joseph's Amphitheater at Lakeview,' which is near Syracuse, New York.
> 
> While that one's massive, Bayville's, by comparison, for the sake of that entire scene...as well as the girls', and my sanity, was on a much, much smaller scale.
> 
> ….But it doesn't even matter, anyway, because it's gone now, so there. LoL
> 
> At any rate, again, not sure anyone made it this far, but if you did, I TRULY hope you'd left a review, and enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> See you next year with the next one!


	10. Chapter Nine, Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter/literary piece in general of 2019, neat. =) (Happy New Year, by the way, everyone. LoL)
> 
> This particular chapter goes out to FantasticFire, a new reader to this particular tale of mine, and has been absolutely phenomenal, as well as integral toward my personal motivation to continue on (as my free time is tragically limited, but also due to previously feeling a tad discouraged by the seeming lack of interest this one initially had).
> 
> And then suddenly, as a result of FantasticFire's massive influx of reviews over on FanFiction.Net, other people have also been flocking to this story around the same time. LoL
> 
> Be it word of mouth or mere coincidence (as I strongly suspect, myself), I am thoroughly humbled and honored that those reading appear to truly be enjoying this story, as much as I have been writing it, all the same.
> 
> Now, if you'll excuse my mushy ramblings, please do enjoy the newest chapter, My Lovelies! 
> 
> -  
> This chapter was created/written in January 2019, then completed in March 2019.  
> -

During the direct aftermath of the disaster which had transpired at what was now formerly the _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_ , although Himerish had been able to successfully alter the minds en masse of anyone even remotely associated, there were things which even he could not have possessed direct control over, such as the _massive_ news coverage which had subsequently followed.

Despite his continued, general distaste concerning exerting his will over others, Himerish and, indeed, his entire faculty were all feeling quite relieved that he had stepped in within such a manner the previous evening, especially considering the absolute firestorm which was _already_ unfolding within the media, thanks to the event having directly involved a pretty well known celebrity, as well.

Her own mind having been successfully muted, the only thing the traditionally bold and charismatic Karmilla could seem to independently recall during her noticeably far more _subdued_ appearance, as well as interview (the first of many, there would be no doubt), was: _"One second, I'm on stage and performing, like always . . . and then suddenly there was a loud popping noise, a-and the stage lights above me were coming down! And t-then . . . I suppose, I was presumably knocked out by one of them in the process, because the only thing I can clearly remember beyond that was coming to on the field, where I guess I was maybe dragged to safety onto by an unknown savior . . . b-before the fire which had apparently broken out onto the stage could have consumed me! To the individual who rescued me, I'm eternally in your debt, am absolutely thankful to be alive, and that I'd also made it out of there with nothing more than a few scrapes and a sprained ankle. . . ."_

Although merely her premiere statement toward the near tragic event, it nonetheless appeared to bode rather well for the city, as perhaps the famous singer, as well as her general management would so far not be attempting to pursue potential lawsuits geared toward any possible negligence for not having taken further precautions to ensure absolutely everything had been up to code prior to last night's rock concert.

_Miraculous_ , to be sure; however, this overall event would unavoidably place the otherwise thankfully undermined Bayville within the spotlight for quite some time, good or bad . . . which was why Himerish had felt it absolutely _necessary_ to call forth an emergency assembly with his student body following the conclusion of breakfast the very next morning. . . .

If they were to possess any chance of walking away from the overall disturbance relatively unscathed as a city – Moreover, unscathed and continually undetected as being _mutants_ , then it was vital that everyone remained united and well informed going forward.

This, and Himerish, as his primary concern at present, merely wished for the opportunity to look upon the many faces of his students for himself, in order to be further reassured that each and every one of them was _safe_. . . .

A mandatory head count had already been implemented immediately upon arriving back to the mansion, particularly for any straggling students which he and some of his fellow faculty had ventured out to personally claim the previous evening - His dear _Elyon_ frightfully included.

And although all one hundred sixty-three had thankfully been accounted for by then, it was still better to err on the side caution once more _today_ , as Himerish silently scanned the growing crowd before him and quickly began tallying his students up all over again.

Moreover, it was an even greater blessing that those who had been there during the initial chaos did not appear to have sustained any substantial injuries, if at all, including the select few who had bravely remained behind in order to help direct fellow concertgoers to safety.

In fact, the _only_ students whom Himerish was readily aware would be absent from that morning's assembly, as a result of regrettably having been admitted to the school's infirmary the previous night, were Irma and Elyon, both of whom _had_ garnered a considerable amount of trauma as a price for their apparent heroism. . . .

. . . . _Admittedly_ , Elyon had needed quite a bit of _coaxing_ to remain within the infirmary under general observation overnight as, truth be told, she had been more so _exhausted_ rather than anything else once she and her fellow housemates had been collected and transported back home.

By comparison, it certainly had been _Irma_ to have suffered so greatly, to be sure, and the poor girl's positively battered and disheveled appearance had nearly broken Himerish's heart upon initial sight.

Having witnessed this only served within making Himerish feel that much more guilt ridden, and honestly a bit as though he had failed somewhere along the way within his general mission to bring about peace and unity amongst humanity as a whole, if he could have allowed for even _one_ of his students to have befallen to such a fate.

Not even within any of their Danger Room training sequences had any of Himerish's pupils walked away from them with anything more than the usual few scrapes, or perhaps the strong need to periodically ice a few limbs for the next few days.

Plus, it had always been an added boon that the school was equipped with a fully stocked and up to date personal infirmary, coupled with a few members of faculty whom were always at the ready and were trained to heal, be it medically or quite literally.

Perhaps the lack of major activity within recent times had made Himerish's overall vigilance rather lax over time . . . making last evening's chain of events _quite_ the wake up call, as a result.

And maybe . . . it was regrettably at last time for him to officially implement the course of action which had so long ago been weightlessly suggested amongst his most trusted colleagues, yet he had always hoped would never be needed. . . .

After all, to do so would mean to call upon his students within a manner he never had before, yet after last night's bedlam, could he honestly say with confidence that it would be a fair thing to do?

Certainly ironic, to be sure, given his overall feelings.

Still . . . would it be fair _not_ to?

As the last remainder of his student body trickled into the vast auditorium, a distinct shift from lingering sleepiness to alert wariness immediately began to blanket onto Himerish's assemblage, a note which only further reminded him just how much the lot of them truly _did_ look to him for guidance, and how much they had each come to depend upon him as their one constant of reassurance.

If there was ever a moment to prove to them that he still deserved to be their faithful headmaster, it was _now_ . . . whether or not he, himself, would always believe the same.

". . . . Good morning to you all, yet again. My thanks in meeting with me – With your other instructors, alongside myself, that is," Himerish regrettably stumbled out verbally, not off to the reinforced beginning of what he'd hoped would be the calming address his pupils were clearly seeking. ". . . . I can only imagine that getting to sleep at all last night might have been quite the challenge for a lot of you, especially those who had attended Karmilla's concert prior . . . to the _very_ unforeseen calamity. This is obviously the primary reasoning behind this morning's assembly, so that I may hopefully allay any possessing concerns you might have regarding the matter. . . ."

All at _once_ did a good many of Himerish's students suddenly speak up, evidently forgetting their otherwise consistent school etiquette, as he'd then unintentionally opened up the floor a tad too prematurely.

Himerish let out a soft exhale of understanding all the same, gently rubbing at his right temple from where he continued to stand from behind the tall wooden podium which had been erected within the middle of the large stage, before then looking on either side of himself toward his patiently seated faculty.

As capable as he generally was and strove to remain, it was always lovely to know that he still possessed comrades who stood behind him within support, even admittedly whenever he would habitually attempt to take on the world's woes all on his _own_. . . .

Himerish slowly returned the warm smile of unanimous support being bestowed onto him, before a rising Kadma appeared to center herself on her way toward the podium to evidently speak on his behalf.

Allowing the kind simper to fade away and be entirely replaced by the far more familiar cool, and collected facial expression she'd habitually possess otherwise, she began.

"Students . . . Students, _please_. Please, _calm_ yourselves as best you can, or else we might never get through what is meant to be an _informative_ assembly," she stated calmly into the microphone before her, her strong, naturally authoritative voice reverberating throughout the large auditorium and admittedly already returning order amongst the young populace as it so often would.

Despite this, however, out of their ongoing, mutual respect toward one another, Kadma paused a moment before continuing, as she instead gave Himerish a singular glance where he now stood at her side in order to decipher whether or not he would wish for the room back, now that their students had thankfully settled back down.

And as much as he admittedly would have preferred she continued carrying on a bit longer, at least long enough for him to conclude gathering his thoughts as best he could, Himerish gave his old friend one final smile before lightly resting an appreciative hand upon her right shoulder.

" _Thank_ you for that, Professor Starlighter," he then openly expressed his ongoing gratitude, carefully moving back in front of the podium as Kadma quietly nodded within response before returning to her seat. Taking a deep breath, Himerish returned his full attention back onto his awaiting students and began anew. "Now, then. . . . Last night, I know, without a doubt, must have been truly terrifying for a good majority of you, whether or not you'd attended the concert, as I'd said. To be _anywhere_ , to _live_ anywhere where the safety you've come to expect, even take for granted as a result to suddenly be disturbed so _jarringly_ is an event not easily washed away, by any means. . . . And so, as such, please do be aware that all of you are _more_ than welcome to come see me, or Professor Chacon at any time if you feel the need to talk about what's happened. . . .

"Until then . . . as for what had actually happened, as I am sure you are all quite itching to fully comprehend, it is as you've probably by now already heard on the news: The unexpected earthquake we'd experienced earlier within the week had evidently triggered a _tremendous_ amount of faulty electrical and gas lines, which clearly had not been checked in time before the concert. . . . _Thankfully_ , of course, no one had perished or was seriously injured during the aftermath. However . . . I am afraid that I still owe all of you a _profound_ apology, all the same, as . . . as all of this falls on I, and I, _alone_ as your headmaster to ensure your safety. And clearly, as of last night, I have wholeheartedly _failed_. . . ."

Himerish had every intention of pressing forward with his self administered tongue lashing, were it not for the sudden, verbal objections bombarding him from all sides, both from students and faculty alike.

He would truly find himself far more touched by the open act of continued loyalty, had he not also felt utterly _flabbergasted_ , instead . . . especially upon witnessing that it appeared that this time Kadma hadn't any intention to assist him once more.

Instead, she remained seated, a firm scowl now etched upon her face as she, too, openly voiced her disapproval alongside the masses.

Allowing a few more moments for the honestly organized anarchy to continue, Himerish raised one hand into the air and faintly smiled toward the sea of faces before him as he breathed into the microphone, "I . . . I _thank_ you all for your . . . rather _touching_ display. Truly. However, the fact of the matter is that I'd made a promise to each and every one of your parents and guardians that you would be protected here while underneath my tutelage. . . . And while that before had never really not been the case, having something so sudden and so _close_ to the institute will not be something your families will be able to turn a blind eye toward," he finished, a bit ominously, sensing that the otherwise obvious implication within his words were not yet completely ringing true for everyone within the pack auditorium.

Thankful for this, Himerish then took the next few moments of relative 'peace' to hurriedly progress the school assembly even further.

"Now . . . come Monday, I am quite certain that a lot of your fellow students at 'Bayville High School' will undoubtedly be talking about the incident as well, and perhaps might even ask you directly if you might have learned anything _new_. But, please, again, rest assured that it is as I've already informed you and thus, feel free to repeat the very same. . . . _Until_ then, however, I am afraid that in light of all of this, as well as to keep within the spirit of safety, I am hereby sequestering all students solely to campus grounds for the entirety of this weekend. . . ."

Himerish couldn't help but heave a deep sigh of relief just then, admittedly unable to prevent himself from beginning to chuckle as well while listening to his once _wholly_ nonplussed students apparently forget all about that, as majority of the auditorium positively erupted into a multitude of groans of obvious protest.

" _W-What?_ But I have a date with Nick later tonight!"

"But we were gonna go see that new comedy which was just released in theaters on Wednesday!"

In spite of the prior evening's unexpected pandemonium, in addition to the lingering uncertainty of its ultimate aftermath, it was truly uplifting to Himerish to both see and hear how easily his students could fall back in line and simply be teenagers.

It certainly helped further renew the admittedly wavering resolution toward his overall competence as their headmaster.

"Now, now, let's settle down, please, everyone. While I am truly sorry for any . . . inconvenience this has obviously placed upon a lot of your impending plans, it is better that we be absolutely safe than sorry. As it is, I am quite certain there shall be lingering commotion ongoing for the next several days, as the authorities continue gathering as much information and evidence as they can about the accident, while the local news outlets all do the same," Himerish explained, his previous smile weakening as he drew everyone's attention back onto the serious matter at hand. "In the meantime, I am rather confident you all could find _some_ way to entertain yourselves for the next two days, yes? After all, this is, as our more seasoned residents are well aware by now, a 'decked out mansion,' as you say! . . . . Ahem . . . y-yes, well, then! Before you are all dismissed, there is one more note to add, and that is we will be instituting an additional Danger Room training session starting next week! And before anyone might object, as I'm fairly certain you will, this is being done as a _direct_ result of last night's incident, so that we can make _doubly_ sure that all of you will be able to protect yourselves in case of another event which we . . . that _I_ . . . cannot. . . ."

Feeling once more that both his students and peers were about to gear themselves up for yet another chorus of mutual dissent, Himerish promptly shrugged off his admittedly uncontrollable, and uncharacteristic self-doubt in time to quickly state with a genuine simper, " _Now_ , you are all dismissed! And . . . again, everyone . . . _thank_ you. . . ."

* * *

" _W-Wait_ a second . . . 'Additional Danger Room training session?' What the heck's he _talking_ about you guys? ' _Danger_ Room?' Are you _serious?_ " Taranee regrettably listened to Will inquire openly within understandable confusion, as well as mounting apprehension toward the admittedly ominous sounding name.

They, alongside Cornelia and Hay Lin, were now each beginning to file out of the still pretty packed auditorium, waiting patiently within their slowly emptying aisle within the center of the room, while at the same time their fellow housemates began to carry on within their own assorted conversations upon the conclusion of Professor Kandrakar's emergency assembly.

While this hadn't been her first unanimous gathering since her enrollment to the institute a month ago, it was thankfully the first (and hopefully _only_ ) one which carried such serious overtones attached, however understandably so.

The previous evening truly _had_ been a harrowing one, and as Professor Kandrakar had previously stated, with the exception of Irma, everyone else who had remained behind at the _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_ really _was_ fortunate to have made it out of there in one piece.

And although she honestly was presently beginning to feel rather nervous to be attending _double_ the undoubtedly harder Danger Room sessions from now until whenever, Taranee wasn't certain she could blame her schoolmaster's obvious want to further ensure their safety.

. . . . It was simply unfortunate that he'd apparently forgotten that a new student had just been _freshly_ enrolled, and thus presently hadn't the foggiest what any of that meant just yet . . . until now, that is.

"O-Ooh, that's right . . . you never learned about the 'Danger Room' yet, have you, Will? I'd been meaning to tell you about it ahead of time . . . you know, when you'd eventually start training with the rest of us so you wouldn't be so _completely_ shell shocked when the time came, but I-I guess . . . _surprise?_ " Taranee feebly began to explain, flashing a sympathetic, crooked smile toward the now scowling Will standing next to her, as an antsy Hay Lin continued to lead the way out of the aisle as swiftly as she could.

Clearly, she was plenty anxious to leave the vicinity right away so that she could most likely head straight down to the infirmary in order to properly check in on her absent best friend, as well as Elyon.

Cornelia, who was directly behind her, then said as much as she suddenly spoke up, having previously been rather reflective during the entirety of their school assembly.

". . . . Don't worry, Hay Lin. W-Well . . . try _not_ to worry, anyway. I'm sure Irma's probably slept off the worst of it by now, and will be ready to return to the masses in no time," she attempted to reassure the shorter girl as best she could, although her own mind and mounting concern was hypocritically just as frantic toward Elyon's own recovery, as her fellow blonde had also been forced to spend the previous evening within the infirmary.

True, it had been done more so as a precaution, and a good deal of protesting had initially been done on her part as she continued to insist that she was 'just fine,' but Cornelia honestly wouldn't feel relaxed until she finally saw Elyon again with her own eyes and personally made absolute certain she _was_ all right.

Pausing a moment, her mind somehow allowing her to recall the other previously mentioned topic, Cornelia carefully turned her head in order to lock eyes with a continually flustered and perplexed looking Will as she explained, as best she could, "And Will, um . . . well, basically, the 'Danger Room' is literally a room down in the basement area near the infirmary, where we students go to train ourselves in various ways where our powers are concerned. . . . _Normally_ , The Professor doesn't involve the newer students or even inform them about it because, well, obviously, they're new. _You're_ new. It's so you can have a better chance to grow accustomed to living here in general, without having to also worry about something like that, you know? B-But I guess . . . after last night's _chaos_ , maybe he felt that it wouldn't be prudent of him to keep you in the dark about it for much longer. . . ."

"R-Right, what Cornelia said. _That's_ why I never told you about it – Why _we_ never told you about it yet. . . . But, don't worry, because each exercise is tailored toward the specific proficiency of each student, so once you start your _own_ training next week it'll honestly be like a cakewalk!" Taranee tried her best to verbally disarm the barrage of protesting she had a strong feeling was heading their way.

Sure enough, as all four girls at last approached the opened, double doors to the auditorium, Will sharply sucked her teeth within dismissal before letting loose.

"'Cakewa –!' Taranee, there's this place called a freaking ' _Danger Room_ ' lurking within the bowels of this school – A school I've only _just_ been enrolled to and spent a mere _week_ within – and you think referring to its impending . . . 'exercises' as a 'c _akewalk_ ' will somehow make me forget that? Why not just call it the 'You-Might-Die-But-Maybe-Not-If-You're-Lucky Room' to make it even _more_ on the nose?" she hissed within heated rambling, although she playfully shoved against Taranee's back, all the same, in order to assure her that there weren't any honest hard feelings for her having understandably kept mum about it.

". . . . Annnd _this_ right here is why Ora – _The Professor_ has made it a school policy not to mention the 'Danger Room' to brand new students. But, on the positive, at least you know you'll be ready for anything you'll experience next week, Will, what with the way you totally saved my _life_ , of all things with your _amazing_ gift last night," the quartet simultaneously looked to their right in time to witness a shy smiling Elyon patiently leaning against a nearby wall, as she was clearly waiting for them to emerge from the emptying auditorium.

Cornelia was the first to break their formation, nearly bowling Hay Lin and several other passing students completely over as she made a swift beeline toward her best friend and, forgetting herself for a moment, immediately seized her within an honest bear hug.

" _E-Elyon!_ You're awake! You're _okay!_ B-But what are you doing out of the infirmary? Shouldn't you still be resting, like Irma?" she gushed within emotion, feeling utterly relieved, yet bothered to see her friend up and about so soon.

She thought that, at the very least, Elyon would have stayed put until the afternoon . . . or perhaps early _evening_ , if Cornelia had had her way, anyhow.

Apparently sensing her train of thought, Elyon let out a labored giggle, hugging her former roommate back as she replied, "S-Sorry to disappoint you, Cornelia, b-but . . . but Doctor Besnik checked me out right after breakfast. Said that beyond taking it easy the rest of the weekend, _and_ maybe replenishing my electrolyte levels a bit, I'm no worse for wear! Like I said, it's really all thanks to _Will_ that I'm even standing here in one piece, or am still here at all, honestly. . . ."

She'd been doing her best to downplay it up until that moment, as directly focusing on it would only make Elyon's words that more real, but it really _was_ because of Will's swift thinking, selfless bravery, and well timed power advancement that Cornelia was currently able to hold her beloved friend at all.

She honestly didn't think she'd _ever_ be able to find the right words, or the best way which perfectly encapsulated her eternal gratitude . . . but she knew that, from that moment on, she'd _never_ stop trying, nor never not view Will as an utmost, and trustworthy companion, through and through. . . .

Cornelia released Elyon in time to watch what seemed like Will's entire blood supply completely rush straight to her face within sheer embarrassment, before she quickly shook her equally crimson colored head back and forth within renewed protestation.

"A-Aw, come _on_ , Elyon! I-It's like I already said last night, it wasn't really anything! I-I mean, _obviously_ , yes, it was, it was your _life_ , I get it. B-But, I mean, before _I_ got there to help, that Julian kid also did _his_ part to protect you from harm like you said, right? S-So maybe we should find _him_ to share within this ongoing praise a bit, yeah?" Will lightly groaned within ongoing abashment, slightly tucking her head down in order to shield her reddened face away from her new companions as best that she could. She then cleared her throat before quickly asking, " _A-Anyway_ , how's Irma doing? Was she still asleep when you were being discharged, or no?"

"Y-Yeah, was she? I was about to head down there to check in," Hay Lin, who'd been understandably silent up until that moment, at last spoke up, her normally cheerful face presently contorted into one of grave concern for her greatest friend's recovery.

Elyon moved away from Cornelia in order to quickly envelop a now stunned Will within yet _another_ hug of appreciation, just as she'd done last night prior to having been admitted into the infirmary.

She then carefully reached out with one hand to gently squeeze Hay Lin's left forearm.

"While I _do_ plan to thank Julian again for all his help once I find him later, I'm never _not_ going to be absolutely grateful for both you, _or_ your gifts, Will. Face it: You now officially have a _permanent_ fan," Elyon lightly teased as she continued holding onto an initially stiff, now awkwardly squirming Will against her, before turning her head and full attention toward Hay Lin. "And that's why I was late to . . . an apparent assembly, right? I wanted to hang back a bit with her, but Irma _was_ still asleep straight up until I was discharged, Hay Lin. But, before you worry some more, I will say that she looked much, _much_ better, already. _A lot_ better than she had last night when she was first brought in, remember? Thanks to Professor Starlighter's healing, plus Doctors Chacon, Besnik _and_ Yong all looking after her 'round the clock, now, I'm sure that she'll be up and about in no time at all!"

"Ohh, thank _God!_ Thank _you_ , Elyon!" Hay Lin squealed within utter relief, bringing herself in closer and effectively prolonging the embrace Elyon was just about to release a now completely mortified Will from, especially now that she suddenly found herself unexpectedly wedged in between both girls with no means of escape. "You guys don't know how _hard_ it was for me last night! _Forget_ about sleep for real, because I was just worrying myself sick over Irma's well being!W-Well, I mean, you _do_ know, since I already mentioned it during breakfast, but still! And then, couple that with my grandma's having fretted about my _own_ safety, and it was just a _really_ trying night, overall! Still . . . knowing that she's apparently out of the woods and is resting peacefully helps put _me_ at peace, finally, and . . . maybe long enough so that I could go talk about something with The Professor before I forget. . . ."

Cornelia raised an eyebrow within honest intrigue at this.

"Oh, yeah? And what's that, Hay Lin?" she asked innocently, both she and Taranee moving closer to the remaining trio as the last trickle of fellow students exited the now vacant auditorium and passed, the majority knee-deep within their own conversations.

Pausing a moment, a light frown uncommonly marring her face as she gently released both Elyon, as well as a still blushing Will, Hay Lin took a deep breath as she motioned for her friends to instead follow her further down the partially busied hall.

"N-No . . . not here, you guys," she breathed mysteriously, before leading the way down the hall, back toward the main foyer and straight past the entrance doors, where Hay Lin then abruptly stopped at the bottom of the mansion's front staircase.

Taking another moment to see that there didn't appear to be anyone else within earshot of them, Hay Lin was relieved to observe that those who'd also ventured outside on that partially cloudy morning had already spread themselves out sporadically about the vast, lush field, as was thankfully quite the common occurrence.

Still, she waited another minute longer for good measure, before then finally attempting to fully explain her curious behavior.

"Okay, I think we're good, now. . . . I didn't want to say anything while we were still inside and around any of the others, so's they don't get scared or nervous, but . . . I don't honestly think that last night's accident happened just because of 'faulty gas and electrical lines,' as The Professor said," she started with another, deeply sobering facial expression, causing her companions before her to also grow rather pensive as she continued. "No, really. . . . I mean, sure, maybe _some_ of that might have been the case or whatever, I don't know, but . . . what I _do_ know is that right before everything went down, Irma said that she saw a _really_ strange ball of . . . of bluish green _light_ flying straight into those stage lights. A-And, me! I _also_ saw something pretty out there, too! Remember, Elyon? We told you about it last night telepathically, right before we each set about trying to contain the damage!"

"Y-Yeah, I _do_ remember that, Hay Lin, but . . . what are you saying, though? I mean, what does that mean if you were _both_ right in what you saw?" Elyon asked within mounting concern and perplexity, her mind unavoidably replaying the terrifying events of the previous evening, at the same time that the remaining girls' all drew an understandable blank regarding that particular matter.

"Wait, hold on. What _did_ happen last night? I was wondering about it myself, even _with_ The Professor's explanation, and it really _can't_ have been as 'simple' as all that as you'd said, Hay Lin. . . . _Moreover_ , I don't really believe that my powers had been _that_ profound the day I'd accidentally triggered that earthquake that they'd extended _all_ the way to the amphitheater," Cornelia quietly remarked at Elyon's side, arms folded across her chest and facial expression every bit as serious as her tone.

Despite this, Elyon couldn't help but smile mildly and shake her head within disagreement as she kindly stated, "Not true at all, Cornelia. We both know how far you've come, _and_ how much your mutant abilities have grown throughout the years. _Especially_ your more 'basic' of talents. So while I agree that, this time, at least, they probably hadn't extended that far away from 'Bayville High' that day, you _still_ shouldn't sell yourself short. . . ."

Both Will and Taranee faintly grinned at this, although _Will_ admittedly did so more toward Cornelia's increasingly blushing face, feeling a tad relieved that her _own_ previously unwanted attention appeared to be successfully off of her.

Still, it did warm her heart all the more to see that perhaps it really hadn't made a mistake within slowly beginning to open up toward this new group of _actual_ companions, especially Elyon, the one who had been the initializing catalyst in the first place. . . .

Pausing a moment, Taranee politely cleared her throat before turning her attention onto both Hay Lin and Elyon and asked, "So . . . what _did_ you two see, at the risk of being redundant? Or . . . _not_ see, o-or . . . right, sorry. I'm not making any sense, am I?"

Hay Lin shook her head and flashed the clearly paranoid girl a reassuring smile, before it just as swiftly melted away into a worried pout.

"No, you're good, Taranee . . . it's just . . . kinda hard to explain. W-Well, okay, maybe not so much as ' _hard_ ,' as it is 'It- _can't_ -be-what-I'm-now-thinking-it-could-have-been-can-it?'" she started, lightly beginning to wring her hands together within increasing concern, but exhaled gruffly before fully recounting the events of last night, _precisely_ as she had recalled them.

Cornelia was the first to speak up, her previous bashfulness over Elyon's encouraging words apparently well behind her as she slowly began to piece together an open hypothesis, one which was unknowingly quite similar to that of the increasingly troubled Aerokinetic teenager's.

"But, hang on, Hay Lin. . . . If what both you and Irma saw – That weird ball of light, a-and those flying _spikes_ – right before everything completely fell apart really _was_ the case, then . . . then that would mean that it was quite possibly the work of another _mutant_. . . ." she quietly declared, the previous frown already upon her face deepening further, at the same time that both Will and Taranee let out gasps of alarm.

"W-Wait, _what?_ I thought you said that mutants . . . _u-us,_ or _w-we_ are here to learn how to control and understand our abilities, _not_ go around unleashing flipping _mayhem_ upon hundreds of innocent bystanders?" Will queried within furthered dismay, as the possible revelation that there were other mutants presently out there in the world who would wish to use their gifts within a _harmful_ manner was understandably too much for her mind to fully wrap around, especially only one week into her newfound journey of discovery . . . even if it _was_ admittedly a tad naive to believe that 'all' mutants thought or felt as she did, and simply wished to gain stability over otherwise potentially lethal abilities.

Elyon, her own face now beginning to mirror Cornelia's continually grievous expression, heavily sighed at this and nodded toward Will as she replied, "Well, no . . . I-I mean, _yes_ , Will. That is, of course that is the ultimate goal Professor Kandrakar and the rest of his faculty all wish for us here to continue striving for. B-But . . . that still unfortunately can't account for anyone who isn't enrolled here, or might have a difference in opinion regarding how we as mutants should live our lives among non-mutants. . . ."

Snippets of her conversation with Professor Lin during her premiere arrival to the institute immediately flashed within Will's mind upon hearing this, and she slowly nodded within loosely stitched together comprehension.

". . . . M-Maybe, yeah. Well, I mean that maybe I kinda get your explanation, Elyon, because Professor _Lin_ sort of told me the same during my first day here. Something about how she – All the professors, like you also just said – want to reinforce the ideals of 'peace and harmony,' basically, so that upon the day the existence of mutants is made known to the _whole_ world we won't be . . . you know. Greeted b-by . . . _pitchforks_ and _torches_ , or something," she finished with a slight shiver, her stomach somehow knotting up even more than it was already, although she did _blessedly_ manage to keep her Electrokinetic abilities under control.

If there was _one_ good thing to have come out of the past twenty-four hours, it was most definitely that she really _did_ appear to be making great strides regarding her continually developing abilities, if she so far would no longer 'Flare Up' during any time her nerves would be positively _shot_.

_. . . . Not to mention that I did manage to trigger a completely new trick, altogether last night, as well,_ Will mused, at long last allowing herself a moment to privately congratulate herself for the literally lifesaving accomplishment she'd achieved last evening, before then promptly pushing the overall stressful events back into recesses of her mind once more.

"S-See? _That's_ why I didn't want to say anything around anyone else! The last thing any of us needs after _such_ a crazy thing as last night is to hear that it was maybe started in the first place by one of _us!_ Especially if it turns out that Irma and I really _were_ just seeing things, somehow!" Hay Lin cried out within exasperation, throwing her arms up into the air within dramatic effect before Cornelia quickly moved toward her and pulled them back down, aggressively shushing her.

" _Shhh!_ Hay Lin, calm down, will you? You carrying on like that, _and_ raising your voice is gonna draw attention _toward_ us, and then we _will_ have an outright panic on our hands!" the blonde hastily chastened, before then gently releasing Hay Lin's thin, bare forearms and backing away from her.

First taking a moment to discreetly gaze about their nearby surroundings in order to see that their fellow housemates were still thankfully lounging about, and rather obliviously, at that, Cornelia then pressed on.

" _Anyway_ . . . at the risk of sounding like a broken record, are you _positive_ that that is what you saw, though? I mean . . . the _spikes_ certainly sound like it _could_ have possibly been caused by another mutant, but that light? Maybe . . . _hopefully_ it was just Irma seeing a delayed special effect coming from the concert, instead. . . ."

At this, Hay Lin vigorously shook her head and frowned deeply, her long and neatly braided hair whipping back and forth as she did so.

"No way! I _trust_ what Irma said that she saw, Cornelia, and _you_ should too! And besides! Even if it _had_ been special effects, it wouldn't excuse what _I_ saw, and what you _just_ agreed could have been some random mutant choosing to lay _waste_ to Karmilla's stage like that!" she countered within defense of her absent best friend, causing silence to then collectively fall upon the quintet a bit unexpectedly within the following moments, as each girl struggled to further comprehend what all of this could potentially mean.

Perhaps it was both Cornelia and Elyon's minds in particular which were presently racing the most intensely, now with all sorts of newfound theories upon the rather unsettling matter.

If someone with mutant abilities really had been the one behind last evening's disaster, then _why?_

_Why_ , or rather, _how_ could they possibly derive apparent pleasure out of having come _so_ close to killing hundreds of innocent individuals, both mutant _and_ non-mutant alike?

And, moreover, why _now_ , all of a sudden?

As far as either blonde had been aware, Bayville had always been a pretty peaceful, and otherwise uneventful city up until recently, and thankfully so.

Had it always been that way, and last night was simply an unfortunate, hopefully one time occurrence?

Or, had other instances taken place in the past, maybe before either of them had even been born, and Professor Kandrakar had simply declined informing them as a means of protection, much in the way that it was not let on to new students that the Danger Room existed?

He could alter the minds of many at once, after all, and the institute, itself, had been around for many decades, now.

So . . . who really knew what might have carried on within their city before either girl had officially come into the picture . . . or, even perhaps what might potentially be carrying on right at that moment?

Whatever the case, Cornelia and Elyon knew that none of them would ever get any answers simply standing around as they were and woefully continuing to mentally stumble over themselves . . . though the now undeniable complacency of their general existence up until that point did admittedly give the pair pause. . . .

Appearing to be on the same page as the other, Elyon immediately caught Cornelia's pointed stare, clearly within agreement to share these newfound developments with The Professor at some point before the weekend was over.

She was about to then _openly_ express her agreement, making a conscious effort to follow Doctor Besnik's orders and _not_ utilize any of her mutant abilities in order to give both them, as well as herself a proper rest when all five girls' minds were suddenly infiltrated by the very man in question. . . .

_Elyon . . . Cornelia . . . Hay Lin . . . Taranee . . . and Will, would you all meet me down in the infirmary right now, please? There is something I'd very much like to discuss_ , Professor Kandrakar's familiar voice gently echoed telepathically within each girl's head, causing Hay Lin, Will and Taranee to jump up within utter surprise, although Taranee's, and _especially_ Will's was perhaps different to Hay Lin's own reasoning.

" _W-What_ the – !" Will squealed, her body regrettably, although only momentarily crackling with white hot electricity, causing her to then let out a frustrated groan upon realizing this. "Well, _so_ much for the pretty good streak of maintaining control! Y-You guys all right, though? No singes? A-Although . . . I guess we'd all _definitely_ know for sure by now, right?"

Hay Lin was already rushing back inside, wasting no time as she completely bypassed using her legs altogether, and instead literally flew toward the marble staircase of the mansion's front entrance as she hastily replied, "Y-Yes, Will, we would, but we're all okay! But I-Irma might _not_ be if The Professor wants us to meet him in the infirmary, of all places! _C'mon,_ you guys!"

* * *

"I'm sure the others will be fine hearing your call, Professor . . . but knowing _Hay Lin_ , as I do, _she_ might think that something's happened to m -"

"- I-I'm _here_ , Professor Kandrakar! _We're_ here! Did something happen to – ! _I-Irma!_ Oh, my gosh, you're awake! Thank _God!_ "

Although the honest 'coma' she'd fallen straight under last night, coupled by the incredible attentiveness of her doctors' efforts (be it mutant related, _or_ medically) had truly done wonders, Irma soon discovered that she now found it a bit difficult to manage a few things . . . such as _laugh_ , for instance.

It honestly felt as though her insides were being simultaneously set on fire, _and_ steamrolled the longer she continued the amused giggle she was presently expressing upon witnessing the raven haired girl in question _whiz_ into the previously peaceful infirmary a moment later.

In fact, Irma's _entire_ body felt like it had been wrung out _far_ too many times like a drenched towel, and now she was just a jumbled mess, as a result . . . especially her left leg, or _shin_ , rather.

_God_ , did it really hurt like a mother after that damned lamppost had fallen on top of it!

Still, it apparently could have somehow been _worse_ than it ultimately turned out as, according to Doctor Chacon earlier that morning:

" _Although you have a traverse fracture along the tibial shaft, thanks to Professor Starlighter, we've dramatically cut down the overall duration it would have normally taken for it to heal. This is absolutely great news for you, as these types of injuries usually take anywhere between three to six months to fully mend, sometimes longer with even potential surgery involved, depending upon the patient, of course._

" _But in your case, you should hopefully be back at one-hundred percent within two to four weeks, max – Maybe cut down to one, even, if I give the 'O.K.' for Professor Starlighter or another professor to use their healing gifts on you again . . . but I'd honestly prefer that your body take over from here and allow your injury to finish healing naturally. And in the meantime, we'll just place your shin within a splint to help accommodate any continued, expected swelling, as well as to also prevent excessive mobilization. . . ."_

As much as she generally trusted any recommendations or diagnoses from Doctor Chacon in particular, Irma highly doubted she'd be able to follow through with the older woman's instruction, as Irma was _already_ very much hitting the wall with her newfound predicament.

On the one hand, she'd now be presumably exempt from any future Danger Room training exercises, despite feeling personally pleased with all of her recent accomplishments, power wise.

Her unfortunate injury also most _definitely_ meant that she would be excused from her gym class back at _Bayville High_ , which was _always_ a plus.

However, on the other hand, this was probably going to place a major damper onto Irma's _social_ life, as she was pretty confident that her professors would 'strongly recommend' that she return straight home upon the conclusion of each school day. . . .

Still, _if_ that turned out the be the case (and she was quite sure that it would be), there was always social _media_ . . . and assuming that she didn't find out that Andrew Hornby really _had_ lamely ditched her last night (after also first finding out that he'd made it away from the amphitheater in one piece, of course), Irma supposed that she'd survive. . . .

First things first, though: Convincing her best friend to calm _down_.

"Y-Yes, Hay Hay, I'm – _Ow!_ O-Ohh, _God_ , does it really ache to laugh like t-this! But, yes, again, I'm a-awake, and am just fine! Well . . . not 'fine,' o-obviously, but – _Ohhh_ – but I ain't _dead_ , so there's that," Irma attempted to jest in between continued chuckling and moans of lingering pain as she delicately reciprocated a continually emotional Hay Lin's regrettably much _stronger_ embrace. "N-Now if you could just maybe . . . loosen that steel grip of yours – Oooh, _oooh_ – I might be . . . be even _better!_ "

"O-Oh! _Sorry_ , Irma, sorry!" Hay Lin squeaked sheepishly, immediately jumping back and away from her injured friend at her place upon one of the series of identical, ivory colored beds housed within the habitually pristine infirmary, before then exhaling sharply within obvious relief. "I-I'm just . . . _phew!_ I'm just so _glad_ to see that she's okay – _And_ conscious now, Professor Kandrakar! When you summoned all of us, and _here_ , to boot, my mind was just freaking out!"

Professor Kandrakar, who had carefully risen from the beige hospital chair placed on one side of Irma's bed the moment his students had collectively entered the previously lulled infirmary, gently smiled and shook his head within vague dismissal.

"It is quite understanding, Hay Lin, so no worries at all. I'd already imagined that my requesting you girls meet with me here would have given rise to a bit of alarm. And for that, I do apologize," he began politely before further clarifying, "but I'd wanted Irma to also be present for when I congratulate _all_ of you, as well as tell you personally how _proud_ I am for the utmost selflessness and courage you'd each displayed during last night's incredibly daunting events.

"As informed to me by both Elyon, as well as Cornelia upon returning to the mansion, there had always been an opportunity for any one of you to seek refuge alongside many of your fellow concertgoers at the time; however, you instead chose to _remain,_ and do your best to isolate the situation. You'd used your powers both discreetly, as well as responsibly as best you could, and of that – Of it _all_ \- I could not be more pleased. _Thank_ you. . . ."

Blinking within admitted confusion, Cornelia gently cleared her now curiously tickling throat before asking, ". . . . O-Oh, so then . . . you're _not_ upset that we'd honestly disobeyed you, Professor Kandrakar? That is to say . . . I know that Elyon and I had debriefed you as much as we could last night about everything which had happened, but . . . bottom line, now that the dust has sort of settled, we _did_ put ourselves directly at risk, and potentially could have exposed ourselves as mutants _well_ before you'd wish for us to. I-I mean, look at Irma: _Her_ staying behind to help _did_ directly put her at risk. . . ."

Elyon gazed upon her increasingly pale looking best friend standing at her side with sympathetic eyes within that moment.

She understood all too well just how conflicted Cornelia truly must have felt to have not only consciously chosen to remain within that throng of peril when majority of their housemates had admittedly made the much smarter decision to _escape,_ but to have also openly flaunted her mutant abilities . . . even _with_ the prior knowledge that Oracle most probably would have ultimately protected them during its aftermath, as he indeed had.

Never wanting to disappoint or let their schoolmaster and mutual mentor down within any sort of way _was_ one of Cornelia's biggest fears, after all.

Regardless, coming to help the way that she had really hadn't surprised Elyon within the slightest in spite of this knowledge, much as it evidently hadn't for Oracle, either, and Elyon was truly thankful that her parental guardian was now taking the moment to freely express his gratitude.

Because then it would _hopefully_ help assuage some of the obvious guilt Cornelia was presently feeling about the overall situation. . . .

Apparently on similar wavelengths as his ward, Professor Kandrakar let out a soft chuckle, surprising Cornelia even further as he responded, "True, Cornelia, I personally do _not_ believe that non-mutants are quite ready to learn that there are those with special gifts presently walking among them . . . which is why I'd . . . 'intervened' as I had in order to ensure that those who'd still lingered about around the destroyed amphitheater could no longer recall possibly seeing each of you in action. . . . Still, if there is one thing that this tragedy has awakened me to, it is that perhaps I truly _have_ been far too negligent where those who do not also believe within the peaceful co-existence of mutants and non-mutants is concerned, after all. I'd . . . wholeheartedly meant what I'd stated during this morning's assembly, how truly sorry I am for having let you students down in terms of keeping you all safe. . . ."

As had been the case within auditorium, once more did Cornelia, Hay Lin, and even Taranee shake their heads within disagreement vigorously, while Irma and Elyon, both of whom had naturally been absent during that particular gathering, simultaneously gasped before Irma hastily remarked, "N-Nuh _uh!_ E-Er, well, 'scuse me for speaking out of turn like this, Professor, but if I could be pretty frank right now? No. _Dice_. I mean, I know that you'll probably counter and point out as Cornelia had about how I'm all injured now because I literally was _unsafe_ for like, forty-something minutes or whatever, b-but . . . _ugh!_ I'm sorry . . . my mind's still kind of foggy from the leftover meds of last night, sorry again. . . ."

"U-Ummm . . . I _think_ what Irma's point to all of that, Professor, was to simply let you know that a lot of us have been living here for _years_ , now, and nothing like last night has ever even come close to happening before – At least, not on such a grand scale or anything, anyway," Elyon quickly took over for the momentarily tongue-tied brunette with a slowly growing smile of reassurance being shared between their headmaster and herself. "You've taught us _so_ many things, _trained_ us – W-Well, at least Cornelia and I, especially - within so many ways. We've come _such_ a long way! A-And . . . because of you, you've given us the strength and confidence to do what we did last night, putting others before ourselves and using our gifts toward something _good_. So . . . please. Never apologize for continuing to be a wonderful headmaster. . . ."

Despite still feeling rather uncertain over what may or may not be possibly going on behind the scenes at present, she couldn't help herself.

Elyon meant _every_ word, and firmly believed within Oracle's ongoing commitment of ultimately doing right by his students, in order to ensure a bright future for them all. . . .

Suddenly feeling as though she were about to cry at any moment, Elyon promptly crouched down and began pretending to tie the admittedly loose laces of her pink colored sneakers.

Professor Kandrakar, meanwhile, had taken the rare opportunity to allow his own, presently ongoing vulnerability to surface openly a bit further, as he then blindly retrieved the white kerchief folded neatly within the front pocket of his gray suit in order to quickly dab at the corners of both of his eyes, before delicately replacing the piece of cloth.

". . . . Hmm . . . 'Come such a long way,' indeed. . . . Hearing this, hearing _you_ say this has truly calmed my heart quite a bit, and renewed my . . . admittedly wavering commitment to my _next_ bit of news. That is, the ultimate reason for which I have gathered you all like this," he stated warmly, trailing off and waiting a moment for Elyon to finish 'retying' her shoelaces and stand back up before continuing. "I'd already discussed this with some of your other professors, and I'll further confess that I am relieved to have received their support within this potential endeavor. . . . All the same, the decision will ultimately fall upon each of _you_ to make, which is why I'd asked for the room to be cleared prior to your arrival, so that none of you would feel pressured in any way to say 'yes' simply because there was a teacher present. . . ."

At this, Will, who had been mindfully silent up until that point, couldn't help but awkwardly raise her hand, successfully drawing her headmaster's attention as she asked, ". . . . Wait, then . . . _should_ I honestly be here for this? I-I know that you did . . . ' _c-call_ ' on me to come down here, as well, but . . . I don't know. I just sorta feel like whatever's going on here right now is something better left to those who've actually been here longer than just a few days. . . . A-After all, I _did_ just learn that there's a training facility somewhere down here called the 'Danger Room,' and that I'm expected to _willingly_ go inside it. . . ."

"Y-Yeah, um . . . I guess you kind of forgot that we just got a new student this week, at the same time as this whole thing happened, _and_ you had to call for an emergency assembly, Professor," Cornelia quietly pointed out with a faint, apologetic smile, before reaching up to gently massage at her throat at the same time that she'd attempted to clear her throat once more. "O-Or, at least, it's certainly bad luck, anyway, rather than you'd 'forgotten,' sorry. . . ."

"'Bad luck,' indeed, Cornelia," Professor Kandrakar softly chuckled, before pressing onward. "Still! From out of the ashes of tragedy blooms endurance, and from endurance, _growth_. It may _have_ only been your premiere week at our institute, Will, but already you have taken on _far_ more than any new student before you within recent times! You have evolved _so_ much from the frightened, confused young woman I'd had the pleasure of meeting just a few weeks ago, during a far less pleasurable circumstance. You're already morphing into the _strong_ , capable individual I had initially sensed you could one day become . . . and given how admittedly tricky your particular mutant abilities tend to be where safely controlling, as well as utilizing them as you now know are concerned, I firmly believe that you are destined for _greatness_. And, most _importantly_ , you'd managed to harness your gifts within the nick of time in order to protect not only Mister Keller, but my _Elyon_ , as well. There will _never_ be enough words within all of Creation to express my _esteemed_ gratitude toward that, Will. . . ."

_Ohhh, my God, it's happening again! Please, someone just kill me right now_ , Elyon unavoidably mentally tuned in in time to listen to Will bemoan silently from behind her, even though she was already quite able to feel the poor redhead's blatant discomfort practically _radiating_ from off of her like a space heater.

She couldn't say that she could readily blame her - At least, not within that particular moment, as Elyon, too, was honestly beginning to wish the very same thing, being forced to stay put while her schoolmaster and legal guardian openly gushed over their strong bond.

"A-Ah, _y-yes!_ I'd already thanked Will for saving me – _Several_ times, actually. S-So, you know . . . we're good, Professor!" Elyon stammered hastily as her remaining companions couldn't help but begin to softly giggle at the display. "N-Now! _Back_ to what you were originally saying, then?"

"Hm, hm . . . yes, well . . . _as_ I was saying, indeed, Elyon, after hearing about how well you'd all worked together, especially underneath such distress, it is my hope that you will say 'yes' to my proposal of implementing a . . . sort of . . . 'task force,' if you will, within our city," Professor carried on as 'instructed' by his pupil, the former smile upon his face quickly waning as he did so. "You see . . . truth be known – And _only_ to you six, do you understand? This is something which only a select _few_ of the faculty have actually been privy to, themselves, and as I understandably do not wish to alarm anyone, I must insist that all which will be said here will remain confidential. . . . Now, then . . . even before last night's incident, I'd recently been sensing a bit of . . . odd _stirrings_ , as it were, as though further, unknown events are possibly upon the horizon. . . .

"Obviously, of course, I do not mean to reveal this in order to frighten any of _you_ , effectively reiterating my previous feeling of failing to keep you all protected; however, I tell you this now as a means to keep you _informed_ , to keep you _prepared_ for anything going forward, especially if you do agree to do this. . . ."

Although all six of them were now positively on the edge of their proverbial seats, Taranee, somehow, managed to find her voice first among them as she asked, with understandable worry, "B-But . . . what _are_ we agreeing to, Professor Kandrakar?"

Taranee felt goosebumps rising all across her arms and legs as her instructor unexpectedly directly locked eyes with her just then, giving her an incredibly critical look as he at last revealed, ". . . . I would like for you all to officially become my _'X-Men_ ,' the premiere group amongst my extraordinary students - Of what will hopefully become many more within the future - who will use their mutant gifts toward protecting those who would need it . . . and, particularly . . . to defend against others who would choose to do _harm_ with their own special abilities, instead. . . .

"These events truly have become quite revelatory . . . and forgive the unknown intrusion, but if what I'd momentarily gleaned from both yours, as well as Elyon's minds last night, Irma . . . then perhaps the _true_ culprit of the entire incident may very well be a fellow mutant, indeed. . . ."

Professor Kandrakar allowed for the blatantly heavy implications to sink in for his students a moment, each girl seeming to appreciate the opportunity, as not a one of them attempted to speak up . . . in particular neither Irma nor Elyon, both now understandably feeling a tad bothered by the mental invasion of privacy which their headmaster did otherwise regularly attempt never to breach.

Pausing for a few more beats, the initial dubiety over his monumental request slowly beginning to return, Professor Kandrakar nonetheless carried on as he then gently added, ". . . . _Do_ please take note that none of what I am asking of you has to be decided today, tomorrow, or even within the coming week. I completely understand the grave responsibility I have now placed squarely upon your shoulders – Especially for you both, Will and Taranee, being the most recently enrolled. However . . . I still do truly believe that you would _each_ be able to see this through . . . for however long would be necessary. . . ."

". . . . So, then . . . we'd basically be _superheroes_ now, right? Like, officially? And . . . this would mean that we'd have full sanction to use our abilities as however the situation would see fit from now on, like . . . in the event that we see something _suspicious_ , of course, yes?" Irma suddenly piped up, lightly rubbing at her temples as her mind honestly did its _damnedest_ to continue piecing together what was actually happening, at the same time that she was _clearly_ becoming quite possibly the first to jump on board with undertaking the newfound position.

Cornelia couldn't helped but mimic the brunette's physical action, vigorously rubbing against her own head, although more so within mounting frustration toward the display, in spite of already having had the strong feeling that the recent developments would ultimately affect Irma this way.

If there was one thing Cornelia did know about her, it was that Irma had _been_ looking for the honest opportunity to full on show her professors what she could do with her mutant abilities, _without_ restraint _or_ potential consequences . . . although Cornelia was still at least fairly certain that there probably would be, just like always, even within the face of such a tremendous, new change.

Professor Kandrakar softly chuckled at this, successfully snapping Cornelia from out of her previous reverie, as she then watched him ever so gently pat his hand against Irma's right arm at his continued place by her side.

". . . . While I, myself, hadn't honestly thought of it within such a way, Irma, I suppose that, yes . . . you _could_ say that you lot would be 'superheroes' if you chose to take on this added responsibility. _However_ , as for the 'full sanction,' _that_ will certainly remain to be seen, as it would obviously defeat the purpose of doing this anonymously if you would instead _openly_ rescue a family from a raging flood, for example," he remarked with a slight nod, before curiously moving away from Irma's bed and apparently began heading for the sealed door of the infirmary. "Now . . . I think that, for now, this should be a good note to end this on, as I'm sure that I've granted you _far_ more than you were expecting to process within last evening's aftermath. Again, do understand that this _isn't_ the one and only time we might discuss this, as one or all of you are more than welcome to come and see me within my office to express any concerns or further questions you might have. . . . Until then, please, take a moment to perhaps talk about it amongst yourselves before ultimately deciding if this is something you feel that you could do, all right? Otherwise, do _try_ to relax and enjoy your day, as you've certainly _earned_ it. . . ."

None of them attempted to stop their headmaster from calmly exiting the infirmary during the following seconds, as every last one of them, Irma included, were _still_ far too befuddled by what had just transpired.

". . . . Thaaat . . . was definitely _not_ how I expected this meeting to go," Hay Lin was the first to murmur what she was quite positive to be the general consensus among them, pausing a moment before moving back over to Irma's bed and sitting down within Professor Kandrakar's former seat.

Taranee couldn't help but tut softly as she, too, ventured closer toward the injured brunette's hospital bed and slowly nodded.

"I-I can safely say that I personally didn't expect any of what occurred last _night_ to happen, let _alone_ what just did, Hay Lin . . . o-or that we'd evidently be ' _rewarded_ ' in such a way, or at all, honestly," she concurred, shakily taking a seat upon the side of the empty bed next to Irma's, with a _nauseated_ looking Will following suit soon after. "I'm not fully sure that I even _understand_ any of it yet, either. I mean . . . are we meant to act as some sort of . . . o-of _neighborhood watch_ organization? And that now our professors are all right with this, somehow?"

"Mmm . . . more like some sort of _'vigilante club_ ,' instead, Taranee, pretty much, yeah," Irma tiredly corrected with a partially stifled yawn, before reaching toward her bedside table in order to take a quick sip of the small cup of orange juice apparently leftover from her breakfast.

Cornelia rolled her eyes at this, gently stamping one foot against the gray colored tiles within furthered frustration (as _well_ as regrettably steady confusion) and stated, in between sudden coughing, "I-I'm pretty . . . pretty sure that would go . . . go against every single one of . . . The Prof . . . Professor's teachings if we really _did_ take the law into our hands, Irma, just like he'd already explained. So _no_ , I'm thinking Taranee had it right the _first_ time. . . . That being said . . . it still doesn't answer hardly _any_ of our questions. . . ."

"Yes, such as . . . what did he mean when he said that he'd been 'sensing some odd stirrings' lately? Was he _always_ going to eventually come up with this idea, this . . . 'X-Men' group he wants us to be, even if the accident at 'Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater' never happened, then?" Elyon chimed in as she flashed her best friend a look of concern before voicing her own thoughts about the matter.

It also began to make her wonder once again just how much she _still_ didn't really know about The Oracle, after all . . . _especially_ not now, and of how much he more than likely really _did_ have to go through on a daily basis as headmaster - As her _parental guardian_ , just to continue keeping her secure.

Keeping everyone secure.

After all, as a fellow Telepath, it already could be tricky enough just to keep the basic thoughts and occurrences of every day life at bay if she wasn't too careful, nor as focused she was regularly; as such, she could only just _imagine_ about whatever it was which Professor Kandrakar could have been mentally picking up in all that time, in addition to the _horrid_ effects it might have been privately having upon him. . . .

And as someone who was meant to be 'an all powerful mutant,' Elyon admittedly felt quite _disgusted_ with herself that she'd never _once_ noticed, herself, nor sensed any distress he might have been going through, at the very least.

_Hell_ , that she'd never before sensed any underlining trouble which might have been brewing within their city, even now.

_Great going, Elyon_ , she mentally rebuked herself, a light frown forming upon her face a moment, right before her swirling emotions absolutely then took over for what she verbally stated next.

". . . . I'm going to do it," she spoke within such an eerily calm voice, in spite of her heart presently racing a mile a second and her palms positively _sweaty_ and prickling with mounting anxiety.

"Wait, _what?_ " was all the remaining five girls could initially manage, facial expressions showcasing utter disbelief before Cornelia vigorously shook her head and offered up a swift rebuttal.

"Elyon, you _can't_ be serious! I know that this was a request directly from The Professor and all, but you don't _have_ to feel obligated to say yes just because you'd feel worried about letting him down," she ironically stated what both blondes were _well_ aware was essentially the pot calling the kettle black. " _Besides_ , you've already too much on your plate right now as a newly appointed 'Junior Professor,' not to mention that you _are_ the future headmistress of this school. I'm sure that you'll want to keep setting a good example for the rest of us by just politely _declining_. . . ."

" _What?_ Cornelia, how is it any different to your _own_ situation, then? You've _also_ become a 'J.P.' right along _with_ me, with as much newfound responsibilities which come along with it!" Cornelia watched Elyon understandably fire back with a deepening glower before heatedly continuing. "'Not to mention,' to copy you, that you, _too_ , are every bit as afraid of disappointing The Professor, so you're _still_ on par with me about all of this! _A-And – ! . . . ._ And _,_ even _if_ I – _We_ didn't have all those other things to do, I _can't_ just very well stand idly by if it turns out there really _is_ something going on out there in the city . . . _especially_ if it's being done by another mutant! _Not_ after last night . . . not _now_. . . ."

". . . . Like a _married couple_ , those two," Cornelia's now curiously pale face effortlessly regained some color once more as she could regrettably hear what Irma _clearly_ thought to be a humorous, as well as barely audible _whisper . . ._ causing Cornelia to _swiftly_ back down from the previously ongoing debate, and instead turn to glare absolute _daggers_ toward her injured new roommate.

"W-What? . . . . O-Oh, _shit!_ Sorry," the brunette began within initial befuddlement upon locking eyes with a rather affronted looking Cornelia from across the room, before then apologizing within the most curious tone . . . one which admittedly made Cornelia not only now wonder after a few things, but _certainly_ made her feel incredibly uncomfortable to remain within that infirmary for much longer.

Regrettably for her, however, there was far too much for all of them to still discuss. . . .

"Look . . . why don't we all just go around the room and take a vote about this? Who's in for doing this, and who isn't? To . . . be perfectly honest, I _personally_ don't really think you two should even _get_ to vote, Will and Taranee, a-and I only say this because you're both still pretty new to your powers," Hay Lin confessed with a tiny, encouraging smile as she obviously realized the slightly discourteous statement. "I mean, if there really _is_ some shady stuff going on behind the scenes, you might not be able to handle it. . . ."

"I absolutely think that all of this is freaking _insane_ , yet you're really making me want to say ' _yes_ ' after hearing you say that, Hay Lin," Will suddenly spoke up within blatant offense, her previously unsettled nerves temporarily taking a backseat to the admittedly militant streak she'd occasionally possess . . . _especially_ whenever it concerned being told what she was, or _wasn't_ capable of.

Doubting herself off and on was generally her _own_ personal, usually _private_ job, one she hoped to grow out of as she got older.

She didn't need, nor appreciate _other_ people doing it for her, whether or not there was an actual basis to it.

Appearing to sense the growing tension rising between them, Hay Lin quickly apologized and grinned sheepishly as she further explained, "N-No, I'm _sorry_ , Will! _Really!_ I'm not trying to sound like I don't believe in you, or _you_ , Taranee! I only meant that the rest of us _literally_ have years of experience and training underneath our belts, and -"

"- If you'll pardon the interruption, Hay Lin, while I truly _do_ understand where you are coming from, I think I have to agree with _Will_ on this one. That is, while we're _obviously_ unavoidably far less experienced than you, I'd say that both she and I managed to handle ourselves pretty _well_ last night, all the same," Taranee politely interjected, the overall manners and code of conduct she'd been raised with never leaving her, even in spite of the obvious look of disfavor she was presently flashing toward the now positively overcome Aerokinetic from behind her eyeglasses.

Suddenly, Irma, despite her now swiftly returning fatigue, quickly puckered up her lips together and let out an incredibly sharp whistle, causing her surrounding companions to collectively gasp within fright.

" _Great!_ Glad to have your undivided attention! _Now_ , then, before we all continue to argue back and forth and quite possibly tear each other to shreds – _And_ before I pass out again, because this was clearly way too much excitement for me to handle in one go – I say that we should _all_ do this . . . _united_ , as the team The Prof clearly wants us to be," she started with a broad smirk upon observing each girl's startled demeanor, before promptly growing serious. "I _mean_ it, you guys. _Thoroughly_ beating a dead horse here by now, again, but . . . just _lookit_ what we each managed to do last night! We stopped that amphitheater – That _massive_ amphitheater, mind you – from _completely_ exploding, _and_ pancaking every last concertgoer who was there! And _none_ of us were physically together or had any visual cues from one another on what to do next, yet we _still_ managed to be so completely coordinated as a what? That's right: a _team!_

"And I mean, come _on_ , here! You _do_ bring up a _very_ valid point, Hay, that Taranee and Will don't have a lot of training – _None_ , in Will's case, sorry – yet look how _bad ass_ they each were, anyhow! _Talk_ about being superheroes, huh? Just slap their faces on a couple of comic book issues going forward and we'll call it a day! And besides, what they don't know, they can and _will_ learn, via the other professors as they've already been doing while, _duh_ , the rest each of _us_ can chip in to fill in the gaps! . . . . And Cornelia, Elyon _also_ has a point. The Prof's one wise, kinda-old-but-not-really dude, you know? And for as long as _I've_ known him, anyway, he's _never_ done anything by half measures, especially if he wasn't entirely sure about whatever may come next. So . . . if he's asking this of us, _all_ of us, clearly he really does believe that we can handle it. And quite frankly, after all that he's done for us . . . for _me?_ I'm _definitely_ ready and willing to share the burden of responsibility and help him look after our city, making sure that it stays in one piece. . . ."

". . . . You just really like the idea of being referred to as a 'superhero,' yourself, don't you?" Hay Lin couldn't help but tease, playfully tapping at her best friend's good leg.

"And there's that, too, yeah," Irma proudly grinned with an enthusiastic nod, before gently flexing both of her biceps for good measure.

Allowing the giggles of both girls to die down, Will dramatically sighed before then rising to her feet.

". . . . Ohhh, man, I can't _believe_ I'm saying this, and I'll probably change my mind _several_ times throughout this day alone, but . . . count _me_ in, as well," she practically choked on her own words, giving a slight wince and squeezing her eyes shut, before then reopening them in time to look around the room and continued. "Well, I mean . . . I _still_ think that it's pretty bonkers, but . . . now _Irma_ has a point, just like both me and Taranee were previously trying to say beforehand, too. If we, if _I_ could . . . save a life, rather than _take_ it via my special powers, all while _somehow_ keeping a relatively cool head, then . . . whatever Professor Kandrakar wants us to do going forward, I can probably manage. _Probably_. . . ."

Taranee, too, mimicked her newest friend's actions by standing, as well, and smiled approvingly as she shyly rested a hand upon Will's shoulder.

"Then . . . _I'm_ in, as well, for pretty much all the reasons both you – And _you_ , Irma, have said. Besides which . . . I am nothing if not hardworking, and once I commit to something I generally do my best to see it through, so . . . if The Professor believes I could be of some help, then I will," she remarked, allowing her brown eyes to settle onto a still smiling Hay Lin and shared within the sentiment, so that it was well understood that there weren't any hard feelings between them.

Despite this, however, Hay Lin paused for a moment before clearing her throat in order to case her own vote.

". . . . Mmm . . . I mean, I _still_ sort of feel like _none_ of us should get involved . . . but the more I think on it, all that's honestly more so my grandma's – _And_ my parents' - overly protective nature toward me kicking in, than it is me personally doubting if we truly _could_ tackle this," she clarified as she made a point to look between Taranee and Will so that they fully understood where she was coming from, before pressing on. "But . . . _I'll_ do it, too! I mean, at least I won't be _alone_ in this, and while I'll still be pretty _worried_ about all of us each time we head out there and . . . I don't know, 'scope out the town' or whatever, I know that we'll have each other's back! _Plus?_ If this really _does_ make us superheroes, then you _know_ I'm so totally gonna ask The Professor if I could be the one to design our _costumes!_ Oooh, now _that_ part is gonna be so _awesome!_ "

"Annnd _there_ it is, I was waiting for that realization to kick in," Irma teased with a wink, evidently knowing that her best friend would immediately volunteer her artistic services toward whatever getup they might inevitably end up wearing, although the thought admittedly had _her_ feeling quite intrigued, as well.

Lightly shaking her head with a smile of her own, Elyon felt it falter a bit as she hesitantly looked toward the continually silent blonde standing next to her.

She absolutely _hated_ it whenever the two of them were at odds, however rare it thankfully was nowadays.

Not only was Elyon never a big fan of general confrontation, but it only served to remind her of the earlier days of her budding relationship with Cornelia, and how pretty much everything between them inevitably turned into some idiotic debate over who was the more capable mutant.

It wasn't _even_ a 'debate,' really, but simply more of just Cornelia's family's overall viewpoints and upbringing still rearing its unpleasant head back then.

Thank _goodness_ those days were far behind them . . . even if it meant that now, instead, there might possibly be other mutants out there who might finally be turning that already bellicose ideology into _action_ , and that now Elyon would actually have to do something more about it beyond politely laughing it off, or making the excuse that she had to be somewhere else. . . .

_Cornelia . . . please. . . . I . . . don't want to have to do this without you, but . . . I will, and I'm going to even if you vote no_ , she couldn't stop herself from stating telepathically to the now startled girl at her side.

"W-What – ? Elyon, you _shouldn't_ be using your powers like that! You need to properly rest up!" Cornelia quietly hissed, clearly about to continue on before abruptly turning her head away to let out a sharp sneeze into her arm. " _U-Ugh_ . . . excuse me. . . . A-Anyway, I -"

"- Man, you don't look so good, Corny. . . . Always room for one more in here if you wanna keep me company and be ' _Infirmary Roomies_ ,' too!" Irma interrupted within playful observation, carefully reaching across her bed in order to gently tap at the empty one both Taranee and Will had previously sat down upon.

"N-Nooo, thank you. I plan on . . . _enjoying_ having the dorm room to myself for the next couple of days," Cornelia actually jested in return, rather than reprimand the brunette as their fellow companions were honestly expecting, and which she'd normally do. "But, anyhow, as I was _going_ to say . . . well, _kinda_ , I still think there is _woefully_ a lot we'll obviously need to iron out and discuss some more with The Professor, like he said. . . . But . . . if you're _all_ on board, and that you two will commit to the added, _rigorous_ training Elyon and I most certainly are now going to put you both through as your Junior Professors, Taranee and Will, then . . . I _also_ agree to give this a try. Becoming an 'X-Man,' that is. Besides . . . this is my hometown, and it's been good to me. It's time that I be good to it and . . . protect the people I care about. . . ."

Cornelia was never more thankful in entire her life for one of Hay Lin's patented squeals of excitement as the one she gave a few moments later, as it spared her the initial embarrassment of realizing that not only could she not stop herself from pouring all of her attention quite firmly onto Elyon upon completing her final statement . . . but also that, at least for a moment, it appeared as though the shorter girl had actually taken _notice_ of it.

Or, at least, so it seemed, anyhow, for the instance was over as soon as it started . . . although Cornelia could have _sworn_ that Elyon had bestowed onto her a very _similar_ sort of look. . . .

_Had_ she?

No.

Of _course_ not.

It was Elyon just being Elyon, and letting Cornelia know that she was grateful that they'd be taking on this new challenge _together_ , and wouldn't have to keep fighting about it, that's all.

Besides, once Monday rolled around, Elyon would undoubtedly be scanning the halls for her beloved new crush, _Caleb_ . . . even if, in this one and only case, at least, Cornelia couldn't readily say that she would blame her.

After all, neither girl yet knew how the brunet was doing after, according to Elyon, anyway, the two had been unexpectedly separated within the fleeing crowd last evening.

Regardless _,_ Cornelia already knew it was going to be a _long_ weekend. . . .

" _Yes!_ Ha ha! Okay, so –! I don't wanna _leave_ you or anything, Irma, since I was planning on checking on you before all this, _anyway_ , but I'm gonna just run upstairs really quick to get one of my sketchbooks and -"

"- _Breeeathe_ , Hay Lin, breathe! And then, don't worry about 'leaving me,' since I was actually about to kick you _all_ out so that I could maybe sneak in a few extra winks before the docs come back to poke and prod at me some more," Irma interrupted her overtly enthusiastic, former roommate with a light chuckle, before then playfully waving her left hand toward the door and turned her head away from each girl before her. "Now, _away_ with you! I need my beauty rest – And from the sounds of how 'Serious Business' our dear Cornikins is, of _course,_ already being with this whole thing, I'm gonna need every bit I can _get_ from now on!"

Flashing Irma a deadpanned look, even though the other girl was already carefully turning her upper body to the side away from her and getting comfortable for her nap, Cornelia then sighed within dismissal before leading the way out of the infirmary, letting out another sneeze as she did so.

"Ooh, Cornelia . . . you really don't sound, or _look_ so good, like Irma said. Maybe you should stay put until the doctors come back so that they can examine you," Elyon suggested within obvious concern, reaching out from behind Cornelia in order to seize her arm and stop her from going any farther.

Allowing their remaining trio of friends to pass, waving goodbye to them as Hay Lin was apparently in between rifling off costume ideas, as well as answering Will's previous inquiry of why they'd be referred to as ' _X-Men_ ,' of all things, Cornelia quickly shook her head and smiled within appreciation.

"No, I'm all right, Ellie, thanks. . . . It's just probably a tiny cold I'd caught, or something. I mean, I _was_ pretty naked and flying through the air last night, courtesy of the Beaubier Twins," she stated with a light shrug, before her already warm cheeks grew even hotter as she realized her choice of words . . . especially since it now also drew further attention to what she'd been attempting to dodge explaining to the other girl.

Why _hadn't_ she been at the concert, like Elyon originally thought she had?

"Yeah, _about_ that . . . you never _did_ tell me why you were back here, already dressed for bed and such, _instead_ of at the concert with me?" Elyon innocently asked, causing Cornelia to silently curse within regret that she couldn't somehow prolong the inevitable for just a little while longer.

"I-I . . . fine. I didn't want to say anything because it's . . . _embarrassing_ , but . . . I low key had a hopeful _date_. Sort of. Or, a-at least, I was just going to meet them there and see how the night went, but . . . the plans had completely fallen through," Cornelia struggled over her words as she attempted to sound convincing with her lie, before immediately realizing that it honestly _wasn't_.

At least, not completely, anyhow.

Nonetheless, Elyon thankfully appeared to fully believe it as her eyes slowly widened within honest surprise, as she then remarked, "A _date?_ O-Oh, wow . . . I didn't even know that you had your eye on anyone like that. . . . _My_ turn to 'thank' _you_ for that, by the way, since you gave me such a hard time about not telling you about Caleb's and _my_ . . . date until just yesterday. A-Anyway! I'm . . . I'm really, _really_ sorry that it didn't work out, though, Cornelia. I _wish_ you'd have come to the concert, anyhow, though! Sure, I'd have been a _poor_ substitution, but I would have totally made sure that you still had a great time!"

"Tch, _nooo_ , I don't think so, Elles. And be a 'third wheel' for you and . . . Caleb? I'm sure that everything was probably heating up quite _nicely_ between you two before . . . well, before everything went up in _literal_ smokes," Cornelia teased before she could stop herself, the queasy weariness she was already feeling from her apparent malady magnifying as a result, as she had just regrettably given her best friend the official go ahead to give her all of the 'gory' details of her very first date. . . .

_Surprisingly_ , however, Elyon didn't appear willing . . . at least, not within that particular moment, as she merely gave her friend a thoughtful smile before carefully taking her hand.

". . . . As much as I am admittedly _dying_ to talk about everything that happened, _and_ to see if I can't somehow get in touch with him, seeing as we never _did_ do the whole exchanging numbers thing . . . I'm putting you to bed, _and_ making you some nice, hot chicken soup," she stated warmly, her smile growing as she watched a curiously squirming Cornelia beginning to verbally protest. "Nuh uh! _No_ fighting me on this! It's either you stay down here with _Irma_ , orrrr you let me tuck you in and look after you. In that way, you'll still be able to enjoy our old dorm room, just like old times. So? Which will it be?"

Feeling both her cold, as well as embarrassment beginning to overwhelm her, Cornelia had no choice but to concede, nodding shyly before responding.

". . . . Lead the way, then, ' _Doctor_ Brown,'" she murmured with a light smile, her stomach doing repeated _back flips_ while her heart felt positively honored that, if only for one moment, Elyon had effectively chosen her over Caleb, her _actual_ crush.

If her head didn't feel as though it was about to plummet down onto the metal flooring beneath them, it now felt so painfully _heavy_ , she probably would have chanced giving the other girl a large hug within unspoken appreciation.

Perhaps.

Still, it may not have been the declaration of love Cornelia used to fantasize about Elyon one day bestowing onto her, but it was something.

And besides, she could remember hearing somewhere once that chicken soup was good for the soul.

**\- End of Chapter Nine (Part One)**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note that Doctors Besnik and Yong are just the last names I'd given to Tibor and Luba, as a little nod toward their character traits. As of this specific moment, I highly doubt I will feature them within a more prominent fashion later on, as I mainly sort of threw them in to further fill out the medical staff roster a bit more. Didn't want it to seem like, or actually be that Cassidy was the only actual doctor living at the mansion, with the occasional healing assist from Kadma, etc.
> 
> Anyway, regrettably I had to once again divide up another chapter, as this particular one made it to eighteen pages, and I'd barely skimmed the tip of the planned iceberg. Sighhh... =) Nonetheless, I'm really hoping that you growing 'fan base' toward this story enjoyed its 'beginning' thus far. I also REALLY wanted to get it all out of the way, finally, the whole "Be my X-Men, now, damn it!" proposal, so that I could ALSO finally do the same on the flip side...which-was-also-also-meant-to-be-featured-within-this-part-but-now-wil-have-to-feature-more-prominently-within-the-next-and-that's-okay... Cough... o_O' LoL
> 
> I honestly had the chorus part to "Circles" by Soul Coughing playing over and over within my head as I was editing this, because MAINLY, I kept being Tornado Baby distracted...and then the 'perfectionist' in me was getting doubly frustrated and was like, "Noooo! NOOOOO! Everyone! STOP being so freaking redundant, Gotslam it! Let's get to the point!" So...yeah, ended up having to backtrack, swap/remove/etc a bunch of junk before it was something I could hopefully live with...probably not. LoL Probably will go back in the near future and re-re-redo it all, but...meh. Breathe, Ellie...=)
> 
> ANYHOW, another not so 'quick' note, sorry, but again, hope you all enjoyed it, and will be patient with me as I hopefully get out the next part a lot sooner than the first! Until then, please leave a review, and when you're done? Go and give "Circles" a listen, if you've never heard it before, OR haven't in a long while.
> 
> Either way? Shame on you. Shame on you, indeed... :p


	11. Chapter Nine, Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhh, hi! Nothing really to note WITHIN this particular note, except to thank you all, again, for your continued interest within this story! And a special hello and thank you to some of my first time readers toward any of my works, full stop. I truly appreciate the interest, and hope you won't be disappointed/bored going forward! =)
> 
> With that said, please to enjoy part two of Chapter Nine!

Nerissa was in the middle of enjoying another one of her ritualistic, luxurious bubble baths, with a side of red wine and one of the many works of Vivaldi elegantly wafting throughout her decorative master bathroom when she'd heard it.

The rather incessant, rather _obnoxious_ knocking upon her sealed, ivory colored door, successfully interrupting her meditative relaxation, and also shattering her previously good mood.

There certainly wasn't any form of particular _fear_ presently coursing through her veins, the way it might have been the case for any other woman who was previously home alone, and was lying, naked and quite vulnerable within her bathtub.

No.

Beside the obvious fact that she could _effortlessly_ defend herself, courtesy of her quite proficient mutant abilities, Nerissa effortlessly recognized the aggressive, continued rapping against her bathroom door.

She _had_ , for better or worse, raised the offending individual for the better part of fifteen years, after all.

"Could this _incredibly_ irritable intrusion not have waited until after my 'Me Time,' Sienna? And if you break my door, you're purchasing a _new_ one, young lady!" Nerissa queried within her trademark, cool and collected tone as she carefully set down the half empty glass of wine onto the side of her large bathtub, before then promptly reprimanding her continually rowdy adoptive daughter on the other side of her door. "It's _unlocked_ , for Heaven's sake! Just open it, already!"

". . . . Lucky for you that it was, or else it was about to meet the same fate as your _front_ door, which I guess you'll just have to bill me for, then," Sienna grumbled with a brief clicking of her tongue as she obeyed her mother's request and slowly opened the bathroom door a moment later. "Might wanna get your smoke detectors checked out, as well, since I'm honestly surprised that none of them went off after I'd . . . let myself in."

Nerissa immediately raised a soapy hand up to the bridge of her delicate nose upon hearing this news and pinched down upon it deeply.

"Y-You – ! My _God_ , Sienna! I understand that you haven't been back home in quite some time, now, but _surely_ you'd still hold onto your set of the house keys, just the same!"

Sienna merely scoffed at this before waving a dismissive hand toward her now thoroughly unimpressed mother as she continued to stand within the now open doorway.

"Pfft, relax, all right? _Yes_ , I still have them . . . _somewhere_ , and no, I _didn't_ completely destroy the front door, if that's what you're now thinking. Just melted the lock and doorknob, is all," the dyed redhead explained within her defense, folding her arms across her chest before continuing. "And besides, I thought you'd actually want an update on your whole 'Operation: Human Cure' you've dragged me into, or whatever you wanna call it . . . but I can see that yet _another_ Saturday spent home alone with nothing but a long dead composer to keep you company is more important."

If she had to unwillingly return to her childhood home and further interact with the general, ongoing source of her overall ire, then Sienna was certainly going to make the visit every bit of excruciating for Nerissa as it _already_ was for herself.

Cheeks growing surprisingly pink, though more so toward the thoroughly unwanted _potshot,_ rather than the fact that she was continually sitting naked within the foamy bathtub in front of her daughter, Nerissa took a moment to compose herself as she normally would before offering up any sort of retort.

". . . . Alas, it truly pains me to see that not a one of your cello lessons when you were younger – Which I'd paid good money for, mind – has made you appreciate the true classics, my dear. Perhaps if it had, you might not continue to be so . . . _uncouth_ ," she delivered within her patented, falsely pleasant sounding voice, lowering her damp hand away from her face in order to share the icy glare the redhead was now bestowing onto her. "At _any_ rate, what have you to report which was so urgent that it could not have warranted at _least_ a telephone call . . . preferably _prior_ to your having apparently committed property damage?"

". . . . You're _serious?_ I mean, putting aside the fact that you'd _thrust_ me into all of this to begin with, you _do_ know that the entire city's currently within a state of _frenzy_ , thanks to 'Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater' being destroyed last night? But hey, don't know why I should be surprised to find you soaking your cares away after such a crazy event, one where hundreds of people could have gotten seriously injured. This is just you being you," Sienna sighed within initial dismay, watching Nerissa's body language only further proving her point as the older woman then slid further down into the vast tub, the deliciously warm water now up to her neck as she carefully leaned her head back and closed her eyes for good measure.

"Mmm, yes, well . . . I can't honestly say that I believe that _you're_ feeling rather choked up about it, yourself, sweetheart," Nerissa murmured casually, the soothing aroma of her lavender scented bath and dulcet, classical music continually playing within the background already returning her to her previously peaceful state. "No one was reportedly wounded, nor perished, as you said, so no harm done, yes? Though I must admit seeing the event being covered on practically every news channel had given me quite the _headache_ that I just had to unwind in here. That is . . . up until your rude interruption, of course. . . ."

Sienna did her best to steel herself, gruffly blowing out _literal_ smoke from out of her mouth, before then managing to remind herself not to get so worked up over her unbelievably vexing mother . . . although the longer she was back in Bayville, back around _her_ it was honestly already becoming damned near _impossible_.

All she knew was that that promised future of Nerissa's, that ' _cure_ ,' had better turn out to be legit, or else she and Sienna would have a few words.

Strong words, of the _cataclysmic_ variety. . . .

Smartly taking another opportunity to calm her easily triggered temper, Sienna quickly swiped an open palm down her face before stating, " _Unbelievable_. . . . Anyway, while you clearly believe the whole thing is irrelevant to you, Mother _Dearest_ , I just thought you'd like to know what – Or should I say _who_ caused the accident in the first place. . . ."

"Yes, yes. I already know all about the apparent negligence of those previously employed at that amphitheater, and . . . come again? Did you just say ' _who?_ ' . . . . Am I to assume, then, that you're bothering me with this because _said_ 'who' is a _mutant_ , my sweet?" Nerissa exhaled dramatically within continued disinterest toward the overall conversation, as well as her adoptive daughter's overall visit, before then slowly cracking one eye open and smiling within blatant intrigue.

Sienna couldn't help but do the same, as well, smirking broadly as she then made her way toward Nerissa's double sink vanity top and hopped up onto one side in order to take a seat.

"Yeah, thought that'd get your full attention – _Finally_ ," she began with a slight nod, leaning forward and kicking the bathroom door closed with her right foot, "but yeah. At least, if what I'd overheard over at 'Hope Park' earlier this morning to be true, anyway. Was in the middle of my usual jog and stopped to get a drink at one of the drinking fountains, when I suddenly start hearing some frantic whispers coming from behind one of the nearby bushes.

"Obviously, at first, I couldn't give a rat's ass to what just sounded like a couple of crying brats, probably about _some_ stupid thing or whatever, and I'm about to continue on with my run. But then . . . just as I finish my drink, I can hear one of them going on and _on_ about how 'I can't believe we caused all that! I can't believe our powers did that!', over and over, while another one is apparently trying to shut the first one up by explaining that 'We don't know that it was actually us which caused the amphitheater to get so _wrecked_ , Kurt! When we bailed the concert last night, it was still in one piece, more or less!' So, _thoroughly_ intrigued by this, I -"

"- Hold on. ' _Kurt_ ,' you said? . . . . As in, Kurt van Buren?" Nerissa promptly interrupted her daughter's previously enthusiastic recounting, brows deeply furrowed within thought as Sienna glowered disapprovingly toward her.

"W-Wha – ? How the hell should _I_ know?" she snapped with a shake of her bright red head, just as the gears within Nerissa's own were already frantically beginning to turn. "Now, can I continue, or will you need me to track the _other_ two kids down and get _their_ last names, as well? _As_ I was saying . . . inadvertently eavesdropping upon what's been so far unanimously reported as something cut and dry, I managed to get a little closer without being detected, and heard whom I'm guessing thought he was the ringleader going on some more about how 'One little sweat ball, and a couple of spikes ain't gonna be enough to take out an entire _building_ ,' and then how so long as the three of them kept their mouths shut, no one would ever find out the truth. _Clearly_ , they're pretty shitty at being more aware of their surroundings, seeing as they'd never even realized that _I_ was crouched behind a nearby tree that entire time. But then, at the _very_ least, they are apparently far more competent where their mutant powers are concerned. . . ."

". . . . Interesting. _Very_ interesting, indeed," Nerissa declared with a renewed smile as she slowly sat up within her bath and turned her head toward her daughter. "Ignoring your previously ill-mannered outburst, I have to also ask if while you were snooping around these boys, did you happen to catch a . . . tremendous odor of rotting _garbage_ , by any chance?"

Blinking within surprise a moment, Sienna slowly nodded her head within initial response, her nose beginning to wrinkle at the continued memory.

"A-Actually, yeah. _God_ , yeah, which I did admittedly find a bit strange at first, seeing how pretty _pristine_ that park usually is. But then, the longer I continued listening to them talk I began to piece together that _clearly_ a pretty crappy downside to one of their mutant abilities is smelling like a toxic waste dump," she remarked within confirmation, momentarily feeling a tad sympathetic toward the unknown young man, before then swiftly recalling her _own_ ongoing plight. "But, yeah. What do you make of this, that apparently this whole _hullabaloo_ could have been caused by not only fellow mutants, but just a couple of _teenagers_ , at that?"

Nerissa carefully reached out with her right foot in order to put down the drain to her filled bath, before giving her daughter an eerily calm smile.

"I do believe that we may have found the very first inductees to join our Collective. . . ."

* * *

Even though their parents had strongly advised that they stay at home that day, there was absolutely no way.

It was a _Saturday_ , for God's sake.

Not to mention that both Courtney and Bess were now basically _celebrities_ , all thanks to having given such riveting interviews to the press earlier that day regarding the admittedly traumatic disaster at _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_ the previous evening.

Truth be told, what the twins had recounted had been one gigantic _fabrication_ , as they honestly couldn't, for the life of them, readily recall much of anything on their own.

Each girl _did_ remember that they had dates who'd invited them to go to Karmilla's rock concert that night, which wasn't really all that surprising, considering their dual status as already pretty favorable Junior Varsity Cheerleaders.

After all, majority of the boys at _Bayville High School simply_ couldn't resist their charm, though Courtney personally believed herself to be the _much_ prettier sister, which Bess would obviously habitually deny, the poor thing.

Either way, that Friday night was meant to have become incredibly _epic_ , and one their young social group would be talking about for quite a while . . . and now, they all were, except only for very, _very_ different reasons.

Who knew that one little earthquake from earlier on within the week could have caused such an explosion?

At least, that's what everyone and their _mother_ kept talking about by now, anyway, including themselves, initially . . . that is, until the news van which had apparently been parked religiously in front of the entrance to the now thoroughly destroyed amphitheater had piqued Courtney's interest earlier that morning.

Practically possessing a _master's_ degree when it came to sneaking out of their house, undetected, both sisters were already _well_ on their way to the mall for a bit of therapeutic shopping when Courtney had spotted the vehicle, and what appeared to be live coverage being conducted.

What soon followed was truly masterful, as not only did both girls manage to weasel their way onto the air by being interviewed, but had, in effect, woven a fantastic _folktale_ for the ages:

" _S-So there we were, just minding our own business and rocking out to Karmilla's fantastic music with our dates – We're big fans and love your band, by the way, Karmilla – and then the next, everything's coming complete undone! And Bess and I are completely freaked out, of course, and naturally head for the exits with our guys! B-But . . . I'm sorry. It just still really gets us right here to even think about,"_ Courtney had laid the false emotions on incredibly thick, both she and Bess honest professionals when it came to summoning up the water works on cue, _"but . . . e-even though we'd made it out of there in one piece, we knew that we couldn't just abandon everyone else like that! Especially not any of our friends who'd also gone to the concert, or like . . . feeble people, you know? So Bess and I, scared out of our minds, race back to the scene and start helping out as many people as we can, before finally leaving for good before things got too insane! 'Cause, you know, like, that's what it means to be brave, right? You're still afraid, but you do the right thing anyway. And that's . . . t-that's exactly what we d-did. . . ."_

Both Courtney and Bess could have honestly gone on for hours if they'd been allowed to, they were loving the spotlight that much.

Seeing not only the newscaster, but the slowly growing crowd building around them undeniably hanging on their every word, _and_ while on live television to boot, was simply phenomenal.

It was infinitely better than all the attention they'd get at school from their peers, bar none.

It was also like collectively taking all of the school plays Courtney had participated in during the past few years, and multiplying the sheer adulation she'd always feel upon each completion by a _thousand_.

Yep.

There was absolutely no doubt within her mind that she was totally going to pursue an acting career upon graduating from high school.

Then she'd _definitely_ never be without a steady stream of adoring fans, companionship or attention.

Until then, however, both she and Bess would simply have to settle on having the focus of half the city, instead.

After having very nearly shopped until they dropped that early afternoon, the Grumper Twins had both agreed to take a _very_ much needed break within the mall's food court, where a lot of their schoolmates were perfectly also already there and eagerly motioned for the girls to join them.

In between 'humbly' retelling their heroic story already shared on the news, snapping Selfies and actually giving a few _autographs_ to a few of the much younger crowd, Courtney and Bess had graciously accepted the generous offer of having their lunch be bought for them.

" _I mean, it's the least we could do, after hearing how brave you two were back there last night! Thank you!"_ another fellow redhead, one neither girl honestly even knew, had stated eagerly, prior to getting on line at the nearby hamburger restaurant with an apparent friend in order to purchase the meal.

And after a few extra moments of allowing their obvious fan base to continually fawn over them, the girls' grumbling stomachs had unfortunately won out, forcing them to put a pin within the ongoing worship in order to search for a good spot to eat their food while it was still hot and not be distracted.

As the sisters were making their way toward an empty booth straight ahead of them, they immediately looked to their left as an impressively loud _shriek_ suddenly pierced through the already pretty bustling area.

" _A-Ahh!_ A s . . . _spider!_ Sitting on top of my burger!" the unfamiliar brunette cried out within continued fright as she immediately sprang to her feet and away from the table she'd previously been sat, rather peacefully, with two other unknown girls. "I-I'm _serious_ , you guys! It was _right_ there, the biggest, hairiest, most _disgusting_ black spider I've ever seen in my life! A-And I almost _ate_ the thing!"

"O-Ooh, too _gross!_ Looks like it got away, though, since you'd unfortunately dropped your food tray on the floor from all your screaming. . . . C'mon! Let's go see if we can't get a refund!"

"Yeah, _totally!_ That place should be shut down, serving tainted food like this!"

Heaving a deep, purposefully dramatic sigh upon further zeroing in upon the escalating commotion, Courtney then silently motioned with her head toward the now abandoned table in order for her sister to follow, before both girls casually took a seat at the empty table right next to it.

". . . . Think you've had enough fun scaring the _wits_ out of unsuspecting humans, Miranda? I mean, _tch_. It's not as though a lot of them have much to _begin_ with," Courtney discreetly murmured against her purposefully raised cup of soda, her pale green colored eyes downcast and peering toward the food riddled floor, where a lone, black house spider was quickly scurrying away from the scene.

Bess, in between plainly amused chuckles, also watched alongside her twin as the offending invertebrate managed to vanish inside the nearby planter pot situated next to their table, just in time before having been seen by anyone else.

"Well, to be fair, Sis, Miranda _does_ make a pretty nasty spider. I'm just glad it was _those_ chicks this time and not _us_ – God, I _hate_ whenever we'll also get spooked by her icky spider form," she managed to whisper quietly upon calming down, before then taking a leisurely bite from the plate of French fries she'd chosen as part of her meal. "And I'm sure that when she changes back, she'll probably come back over and ' _apologize_ ,' like always, anyway, so. . . . Hey, mind if I nick one of your chicken tenders?"

Courtney playfully rolled her eyes at her sister's habitually more voracious appetite than that of her own, and nodded within consent.

If she didn't know her as intimately as she obviously did, Courtney would honestly wonder where all the various foods she'd witness Bess eat over the years actually went, especially since she continued to remain the same size no matter what.

But then, the same could certainly be said of herself, as such was the apparent 'perk,' as well as drawback to the twins' replicating abilities as mutants.

" _A car can't go anywhere without first filling it up with gas, after all. So always be sure never to ignore what your bodies tell you, particularly after prolonged use of your powers, girls,"_ was one of the first nuggets of advice their parents had imparted onto them, shortly after their daughters' mutant powers had initially manifested a few years ago.

Although 'forewarned' since before they'd even attended grade school that there was a very strong chance that at least one, if not the both of them would one day develop mutant abilities of their own, just like their parents, Bess and Courtney both still ended up becoming _quite_ blindsided, all the same.

After all, it wasn't exactly a fun first day of middle school when the admittedly once insecure and reclusive Courtney, who'd _desperately_ wished to be anywhere else but on that school bus on the way to her new school, suddenly found that she was inexplicably seated next to _herself_.

Thank goodness the bus still had been relatively empty at the time, or else there was no doubt that she'd still be trying to explain the incident away, _especially_ considering Bess had to go and 'conveniently' recover from her flu the week before.

Otherwise, Courtney would have honestly just lied and passed her unexpected clone as her actually existing twin.

Still, Courtney's debut as an 'official' mutant absolutely paled in comparison to that of _Bess's_ about two weeks later, when she'd ended up accidentally breaking Brian Tucci's _leg_ during gym class, after suddenly knowing how to perform the very same, and perfectly executed take down wrestling move both girls had witnessed being used by their older cousin Danny during his actual wrestling match the night before.

All Bess had initially intended was to 'politely' tell Brian to stop _skeeving_ on Cornelia, whom they had met during their second day of school, and had been their acquaintance-quickly-turned-good-friend after that day.

Neither twin, and certainly not _Brian_ had ever imagined that the naturally small framed preteen at the time, who was barely over one-hundred pounds back then, would not only be able to hold herself well against the far more athletic kid in general, but also would have done so with such unexpected, sheer force which ultimately caused his right leg to mercilessly _snap_.

Needless to say, both sets of 'First time as a mutant' stories had never really been favorites for the sisters, especially considering Courtney had ended up with both a _nosebleed,_ as well as splitting headache during her aftermath, while Bess's heart nearly _burst_ from all the intense adrenaline . . . in addition to regrettably receiving an unjust week of _detention_ for 'inciting violence upon another student.'

And then, of course, there had been their mutual desire to eat nearly everything in _sight_ , and that was only after a few _moments_ of having utilized their respective powers.

Nowadays, however, thanks to having become far more seasoned mutants, coupled with their shared extracurricular activity as cheerleaders, both Courtney and Bess had learned to better build up and sustain their overall stamina throughout the years . . . even though the occasional need to consume majority of their refrigerator's contents would still arise every now and again.

Still, although both siblings were very proud of being mutants, thinking about moments of 'yesteryear' was something _Courtney_ generally tried not to do, as it would usually completely tank her mood and cause her to wish unspeakable _vengeance_ upon a certain Goody Two-Shoes blonde. . . .

After all, Bess and Courtney had only been able to share one glorious year, technically one and a _half_ , becoming thick as thieves with Cornelia, before that irritating little whelp _Elyon_ had to go and come between all of them.

Between Courtney and Cornelia.

True, it had been _Bess_ to have initiated what would very quickly become a tightly formed friendship with the wealthy blonde, especially upon later discovering that she, too, was also a mutant . . . but it had always been with _Courtney_ whom Cornelia had resonated more profoundly.

Or, so Courtney had _thought_. . . .

It had really been a friendship made in _Heaven_ to her as, besides Bess, of course, Cornelia had been the only real companion Courtney had had at the time.

And as a fellow eldest sibling, there were just certain things which Cornelia had been able to better relate to, as Courtney used to convey them to her within secret whenever Bess wasn't around.

She'd confided practically _everything_ with Cornelia, including how overwhelming growing up as a soon-to-be teenager was at the time, knowing how much Bess would lean on her as the older twin a lot of the time and was just expected to always have all the answers . . . and now, the added bonus of figuring out exactly how to get a better handle on their budding mutant abilities as a bonus.

It had certainly been _a lot_ to deal with back then, but Courtney was incredibly thankful to have found almost a kindred spirit of sorts within Cornelia, whom not only had been an ear to listen, but had become someone _she_ could look toward for strength.

A _role model_ , almost, the way that Bess had always secretly viewed Courtney.

In fact, it was honestly _because_ of Cornelia, really, that Courtney and, to a lesser extent, Bess, were both the fiercely confident, in-your-face and popular teenagers they were today.

Courtney had been rather tired of feeling so . . . _uncertain_ all the time growing up, and being that her mutant abilities stemmed from being able to replicate herself, she'd figured why couldn't she have done the same where her _personality_ was concerned?

Why _couldn't_ she just emulate someone who seemed to have it _far_ more together, certainly more than she did at the time, anyway, and didn't seem to stand for _any_ sort of nonsense?

Plus, with the added bonus of both sets of parents, the Grumpers and the Hales also having become quite chummy over time while also agreeing wholeheartedly within the unanimous belief that humans were positively _inferior_ next to mutants, and Courtney and Cornelia's former friendship would have honestly been one for the _history_ books.

That is, of course, until the Hales had to go and _stupidly_ decide to enroll their oldest daughter within the prestigious _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ alongside her continued attendance at _Bayville Middle School_ . . . and all because they just _had_ to be super rich, and believed that Cornelia should get ahead not only within her studies, but also within her ongoing mutant development. . . .

Although, to be fair, the Hale Family being far more well off than that of Courtney's hadn't all that much to do with it, as it had turned out that enrollment at Professor Kandrakar's institute, even though it was a fully loaded private school, wasn't terribly pricey, surprisingly.

In fact, upon learning about the school, what it was _really_ about and that their daughters' friend was also now a student there, both Courtney and Bess's parents had also entertained the idea, alongside having curiously already been approached by the school's headmaster, himself, a few days afterward.

Frankly, it had honestly surprised Courtney, personally, that any one of them, _including_ Cornelia, would have agreed to be associated with such a school, given both families firm stance upon mutant supremacy, while _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ was _very_ clearly all about the opposite of that.

Mostly, however, it did naturally worry her a bit that by attending _two_ schools, in fact, _living_ at one of them from now on, Cornelia would inevitably gravitated away from her as her friend.

But, according to Cornelia, and indeed her parents when asked, Cornelia was merely going there as a way to better hone her Geokinetic abilities, within ways her mom and dad could never have possibly taught her, themselves, as neither possessed nature based powers.

That was _all_.

And in the meantime, Cornelia and her family would continue to feel all mutants were better than everyone else, all while she'd remain one of Courtney's closest companions. . . .

Sometimes, whenever Courtney couldn't stop herself from thinking about 'how it all went wrong,' much as she was presently, she'd even go as far as to wonder if the two girls, the _three_ of them including Bess would somehow be friends today, even _with_ Cornelia being a continued resident at the institute and was surrounded by all its bloated teachings of equality . . . if only she had _never_ met that damned _Elyon!_

Because honestly, it was more like Cornelia was like an undercover _spy,_ or something along those lines when she'd first started living at that school, the way she'd seemed perfectly unaffected by the 'Hippie Peace talks,' as she used to refer to them whenever coming back to _Bayville Middle School_ the following day and ranting about how utterly _boring_ the lectures all were.

" _Outside of the thankfully posh surroundings and the classes where we actually get to showcase our powers – O-Or, excuse me. 'Gifts,' as they all refer to them over there – that place is positively insufferable!"_ Cornelia had dramatically informed both twins one day during lunchtime, while thankfully back within her clearly more preferred school. _"I wonder if I can get Daddy to somehow convince Headmaster Kandrakar to let me graduate much, much earlier than originally outlined. Like, preferably within a year or so, seeing as my powers are already pretty strong before I'd even got there! Well . . . certainly stronger than a lot of the people there, anyway, although I will admit – And only to you guys, because you're my absolute best friends – that there's this one girl there whom basically everyone claims is meant to be this über powerful chick._

" _But, tch! I'm like, so sure, right? Since I've been there, anyway, anytime I run into her, she can barely form together a coherent sentence, let alone drudge up any strength to display the so called super powerful Telekinesis she supposedly possesses. But, whatever, right? You guys know me and how admittedly competitive I can be! After school – Today, in fact, I'm gonna so totally confront this Elyon girl and show her what true power really is! Ugh . . . 'Elyon.' Even her name screams 'weakling. . . .'"_

And little did any girl know that that lunchtime conversation had honestly been the beginning of the end of the old Cornelia, the _better_ Cornelia. . . .

_Now_ all that was left were _two_ insufferable blondes who walked around their high school's campus as though their shit didn't stink.

And all this because Elyon had to go and _brainwash_ Cornelia into believing that everyone, both mutant _and_ humans, should be given a fair shake within equal measure, and that possessing abilities in the first place didn't really set them above anyone else at all.

True, the girls' falling out really had become a far deeper wound than Courtney had ever expected, nor would ever openly _admit_ possessing, not even to Bess (despite the fact that both sisters were _fully_ aware that _Bess_ was fully aware, regardless) . . . but Courtney did her best to hold her head high with the newfound confidence and iron resolve which Cornelia had bestowed upon her as an unintentional, and lasting parting gift.

As far as _both_ Grumper Sisters were concerned, Cornelia was now simply a speck of insignificant _dust_.

Still . . . what Courtney wouldn't give to settle a few lasting, and unresolved scores with that bitch, _Elyon_ , if only to _finally_ close that chapter of her life away for good. . . .

Courtney didn't think she'd ever before felt so thankful to have her thoughts be interrupted as they were moments later by the casually approaching Miranda, who'd clearly successfully completed shapeshifting back into her human form.

" _Awww_ , you guys didn't need to buy me lunch like this, but thanks!" the half-Asian, half-Caucasian teenager chirped within her usual tone of _grossly_ vast sweetness, as she then took a seat directly across a now lightly frowning Bess.

There weren't honestly a whole lot of people who truly knew Miranda Senka at her core, both twins included.

And it honestly wasn't due to the fact that she could _literally_ become basically whatever she wanted, courtesy of her own mutant abilities, either.

It was, simply put, that Miranda was a textbook _psychopath_.

Or . . . sociopath.

_Whichever_ one, it didn't matter, as Courtney usually had a hard time differentiating between the two, anyway.

The point was, for as long as both she and Bess had known her, Miranda appeared to truly take pleasure manipulating other people, and really pretty much doing her own thing, overall . . . which _usually_ also involved some heavy duty _lying_ along the way, as well.

And, of course, it didn't help that she was a bonafide _shapeshifter_ , adding to her already chameleon like personality, either.

Majority of their teachers, and even a lot of their own _schoolmates_ appeared to all believe that Miranda was just some really quiet, introverted, yet well meaning and sweet young woman . . . when in fact, behind the mask was a rather complex, rather _selfish_ and, at times, downright _creepy_ individual. . . .

It was quite honestly a wonder how the three girls were actually fairly good friends, _regardless_ , and _had_ been ever since Miranda and her family had moved back to Bayville from California during their final year of middle school.

Perhaps it was her sheer desire to somehow fill the gaping hole Cornelia had created upon _ditching_ her for Elyon that initially made Courtney then gravitate toward the honestly mysterious, and generally aloof Miranda once she'd rolled back into town.

Maybe it was because she was honestly the complete _opposite_ of Cornelia at the time (and now, as well, if Courtney was perfectly frank), and she'd just wished to wipe away all memory of her as best she could back then that Miranda had even been given a chance.

She wasn't really the type of person neither Courtney, nor Bess would have normally hung out with, after all . . . certainly not with someone who clearly hadn't any initial interest within entertaining even an _inkling_ of forming some type friendship, as well.

But then, one day during their shared study hall, Miranda had casually revealed some rather interesting news:

She, too, was aware of Elyon. . . .

In fact, before having moved away, both Miranda and Elyon had attended the same elementary school together, and had even lived within the same neighborhood.

Although the two had never honestly been all that close, Miranda had described their relationship as 'friendly- _ish_ ,' to the point of even going as far as having shared several play dates together growing up.

It hadn't been until a tragic fire which had consumed Elyon's childhood home, as well as taken both her parents' lives that Miranda explained the two had gone their separate ways, as Miranda's folks had then deemed the incident far too traumatizing for their only child, and thus ultimately moved away.

That is, until Miranda's father had finally managed to reassure her overly protective mother that it really _was_ all right to come back to their hometown years later, especially once their 'little Miranda' had eventually earned the ability to change into pretty much anything she could think of and thus, escape a potentially harrowing situation, if need be.

Or, at least, on paper.

And while neither Grumper sibling had honestly ever been made aware that Elyon was an _orphan_ prior to Miranda informing them of such news, _Courtney_ surprisingly found that she couldn't have cared less by that point, as her sheer hatred and jealousy toward the girl had evidently grown to immeasurable lengths by then.

She was _more_ interested within learning whatever knowledge Miranda still possessed about her foe, however admittedly limited it had naturally become over the years, and somehow using it to her advantage in some sort of way.

And she was _certain_ that Miranda, whom by then hadn't really made it much of a secret how much she'd revel within messing with others ( _especially_ through the use of her powers, as doing so made it that much harder for most people to figure out she was even involved), was more than happy to hop on board . . . even if all of that had been years ago, now.

Presently, however, the trio generally hung out with one another off and on whenever the twins' naturally busy schedules didn't interfere, _or_ whenever Miranda honestly _felt_ like it.

It was a relationship, a friendship, even (for the _most_ part, at least), where said arrangement appeared to suit all parties just fine.

And today, it seemed, was one of those days when Miranda actually _wanted_ active companionship.

"Nuh uh, _no_ way! We'll share a _little_ bit, but you can go and get your _own_ food! Or, hell, why not shift back into a spider or some _other_ animal – Like a pretty little _bird_ , how 'bout – and just eat the slices of pizza and burgers you made those other girls drop on the floor, there?" Courtney listened to Bess object as she playfully slapped away Miranda's already outstretched hand.

Miranda's traditionally calm, and unassuming facial expression melted into one of feigned sadness, before lightly pouting for good measure.

"D'aww, but you know how much my Shifting can build up a pretty good appetite, Bessie! C'mon, pwetty _pweassse?_ Lemme have your burger now, and I'll buy you _two_ on Monday at school once I have my wallet on me, again," she pleaded with clasped hands now placed in front of her, before Bess gruffly exhaled within consent.

" _Eww_ , I've told you _not_ to call me 'Bessie!' Makes me sound like a damned _cow_. . . . But, fine! You can have my burger, _only_ because I know if I don't say yes, you'll _never_ shut up about it and will just ruin my lunch, completely," she stated with a sharp click of her tongue as she was forced to slide her tray toward the now triumphantly grinning Miranda sat before her. "And _anyway_ , I wonder if they'll even _let_ us go to back to school on Monday, what with that crazy explosion or whatever happened to the amphitheater last night. First that freaking earthquake, and now this. _Talk_ about bad omens."

"True, but hey, remember, Sis: If nothing else, we got to be on _live_ television, and now the media can _totally_ attach a face to our overall peer group," Courtney remarked with a nod, a slow smile forming upon her face as her previous good mood was thankfully returning. "I mean, _other_ news stations will probably be contacting us pretty soon, too, to hear more of what happened. And then, _next_ you know, if we play our cards right, we'll be approached to star within our own _reality series!_ "

Miranda, who was merely half listening to the admittedly boring gossip, abruptly stopped tucking into Bess's reluctantly donated hamburger in order to stare blankly at both redheads.

". . . . You really believe that you'd be given your own reality show _just_ because you apparently gave a random interview about some equally random accident?" she asked, rather bluntly, as her lime green eyes practically bore holes into each twin's head.

Feeling admittedly sheepish by the notion a moment, Courtney instead doubled down and firmly nodded before stating, "Uhhh, _yeah?_ Other people out there become famous for _far_ less intriguing, even outright _stupid_ reasons than our interview! You clearly didn't see it yet, or else you'd at _least_ agree that Bess and I gave a pretty convincing performance, really _selling_ the whole 'We were scared out of our _gourds_ ' angle!"

"Y-Yeah, I mean, even though we honestly _were_ , since it really _was_ pretty terrifying last night," Bess agreed before resuming eating what now remained of her lunch. "You are so _totally_ lucky you didn't come with us, Miranda, seriously! As much as we enjoy Karmilla, nearly dying – _Literally_ – just to see the band is _so_ not worth it, sorry! . . . . And anyway, I'd have thought this sort of thing would be right up your alley. I mean, 'cause you're always complaining that nothing ever really happens around here, which is partly why you're always doing _some_ type of prank, or whatever."

" _Totally_ , like 'Uriah and His Merry Men of _Grossness_ ,'" Courtney smirked with rolled eyes, the smile upon her face deepening within continued amusement as both sisters watched as Miranda appeared to take genuine offense to something for a change.

" _Those_ morons, are you serious? I'd _hardly_ compare what they do to the sheer _marvel_ which is _lit-er-a-lly_ becoming anything . . . _and_ anyone, and just positively _mind warp_ you that way," she rebutted, her voice _somehow_ becoming that much more quiet, at the same time that she slowly flashed her two friends a haunting sort of smile as the rest of her facial expression darkened.

Not wishing to grow further entangled within their companion's _clearly_ menacing psychopathy, especially upon further realizing that neither girl truly _knew_ the full extent of the other girl's abilities, both Bess and Courtney instead simultaneously waved their hands in front of themselves within relent.

"O-Okay, _okay!_ So you're _not_ like those guys, sorry!" Courtney swiftly apologized, forcing a smile onto her freckled face as she made a point to gingerly push over her _own_ tray toward Miranda in order to offer up some of her own food by way of a peace offering.

Her mood was already previously shot once today, thanks to the unexpected trip down memory lane; she didn't need potentially becoming Miranda's next unsuspecting target to become the icing on the cake. . . .

_Thankfully_ , however, the gesture appeared to appease Miranda, as her overall demeanor promptly returned to one of previous ease, before silently claiming Courtney's barely touched meal as her own.

"You two really are _sweethearts_ , I swear!" she giggled cheerfully, tucking a stray strand of her shoulder length and bone straight black hair behind her left ear before continuing. "Anyway, you're _right_ , Bess . . . _ie_. When I woke up this morning and saw the news coverage about everything, I honestly _was_ elated. I mean, sure, you poor, poor dears and all that obligatory concern, but seeing as it appears that no one was really injured it's okay to feel that way, right? After all, besides the earthquake, like you _also_ pointed out, I can't honestly remember the last time anything this exciting happened around here! Well, I mean . . . not since that whole fire which killed Elyon's parents years ago, anyway. Oh. Right. _Tragedy_ , that, as well, yeah. . . ."

Courtney did her best to hide her utter surprise at this, although more so that her friend had unexpectedly read her mind from earlier by bringing that particular incident up, versus the feigned concern she was poorly displaying.

That part about her, at least, was par for the course, and was just something both Grumper siblings had come to expect over the years.

The girl _was_ clearly emotionally damaged, after all.

Right _now_ , though, it was all Courtney could do to stop herself from creating a clone of herself right then and there, and having it march right up to that stupid, _precious_ institute, find Elyon and absolutely rip out her _throat_. . . .

Sensing her sister's mounting upset at the now open reference to their nemesis, Bess quickly rested a reassuring hand upon Courtney's shoulder and gently squeezed, before an idea suddenly sprang to mind.

". . . . _H-Hey!_ I know of a way to kill two birds with one stone, which'll make you _both_ pretty happy," she declared with an honestly devilish looking smirk of her own, causing both Miranda and Courtney to gaze at her with slightly raised eyebrows. "No, I'm serious! _Trust_ me: Once you listen to the idea I just got, you won't be starved for entertainment anymore, Miranda, and _you_ will be laughing all the way to the bank, dear Sis. . . ."

****\- End of Chapter Nine** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, while I was writing up both Nerissa and Miranda's scenes, I honestly just now realized that they're basically twin crazy bitches. Like, seriously. LoL I haven't watched the series in ages but still remember majority of the episodes pretty vividly, so thinking back I'm now like, "Mmmhm. Yep. Yep. Need a DNA test, here, because Miranda is just Nerissa's 'Mini Me.'" =p
> 
> And then, I'd ALSO realized that I honestly don't enjoy writing for Miranda. LoL Well, no, I mean, I 'do,' in the general enjoyment I get from writing, obviously. But WOW, if she really wasn't/isn't effed up, both canon and, I guess, now, within my story. Jeebus... LoL
> 
> And THEN then, I just kept thinking about Angel from the Borderlands series, and every time she'd say "Executing Phase Shift..." whenever utilizing her Siren powers, any time I'd write about Miranda's own 'Shifting.' Like we need to mix a good, honestly sympathetic character with one who'd sooner hack you into fish bait than even dare think of saving your life in any way, right? Bleh. =)
> 
> ANYWAY! Yayyy, I did it! Basically FINALLY established all the main key players going forward, with obviously anyone/thing else safely tucked away for the time being...mwa ha ha haaaa... =p
> 
> Also, don't think she had a last name, or at least I obviously never knew it, so I just gave Miranda her made up dad's surname of 'Senka,' since it evidently means "shadow" which, clearly, fits her.
> 
> Or, at least it does to me. Whatever. LoL
> 
> And speaking of names, probably going to stick with referring to Nerissa's soon-to-be fighting team 'The Collective' rather than 'The Brotherhood.' Wasn't honestly going to refer to Cornelia and her crew 'X-Men' originally, either, but once I'd started incorporating some of the canon characters within this world as well, and THEY'LL clearly one day also become fellow 'X-Men,' themselves, I just said screw it. LoL
> 
> Anyhow!
> 
> Didn't/don't really like actively citing a character's cultural background, etc, within my stories unless it's actually integral to the plot within some sort of fashion, because personally, who really cares, yeah? Butttttt, seeing as 'no one really knows' if Miranda is actually human, but can just shapeshift into that disgustingly massive spider, ORRRR, she's actually a spider mostly, but can just kinda take on that 'little girl' form, apparently her wiki states she's Asian. Honestly, I never viewed her ANY sort of way while watching the show...except as a crazy bitch, of course. LoL
> 
> But I figured, hey. Let's try to make things a bit more diverse within this story, and...yeah. That's really all that was.
> 
> Plus, since I do love spiders, I, for now, I guess, turned her into a teeny, tiny, adorable one, instead.
> 
> MOOOOVING on...cough. =)
> 
> What else, what else... Can't REALLY think of anything, except that I did, again, wish to go further, but thought that whole mall scene was a good place to end, especially since that will most probably be the conclusion to everyone's weekend, before Monday rolls back around.
> 
> Maybe.
> 
> Might briefly skip to Sunday next chapter, if only to feature a bit more character bonding, blah blah. =) And besides! 11 pages, this one was. Not as long as the previous, but also still pretty 'meaty,' yeah? Hope so!
> 
> Anyway! Hope you all enjoyed/reviewed, had fun, AND enjoy your Easter Sunday coming up, if you acknowledge it! Mwa!


	12. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -  
> This chapter was created/written in April 2019.  
> -

"Don't you think this is a bit of overkill at this point, Elle? You'd already looked after me for the majority of yesterday, and now you're serving me breakfast in bed? I told you, it's just a tiny cold."

Although verbally protesting toward her best friend's incessant attentiveness for such a minor malady, on the _inside_ Cornelia could about actually died, after all, she was that over the moon.

True, both she and Elyon had been known to more or less take turns whenever it came to taking care of the other throughout the years.

As incredibly close friends, it honestly wasn't anything new, nor truly surprising.

Cornelia supposed the only reason it might have been at _present_ was the fact that she honestly was expecting majority of Elyon's focus this weekend to instead be about _Caleb_ , either learning about his current condition, or finally letting loose on all the so called, _sordid_ details of their first date. . . .

_However_ , the rest of Saturday had come and gone without so much of a mere _mention_ of him, as Elyon had instead dedicated herself one-hundred percent toward nursing the periodically sniffling and sneezing Cornelia back to full health.

In fact, overall, yesterday had gone off without an eventful hitch, thankfully, as _all_ the students, not just themselves, needed a period of peace once more.

And although having been remanded onto campus grounds, Cornelia's fellow schoolmates had seemed to manage to find a way to entertain themselves in one form or another, just as Professor Kandrakar assured the full lot that they could.

In between checking on Irma, checking _in_ with her grandmother _,_ and sharing a quick lunch with the two blondes inside of the dorm room, Hay Lin had apparently taken Cornelia's place as the added guest to Will's renewed sleepover later on that Saturday evening.

" _Take two,"_ as Will had referred to it after she, too, had come to see how Cornelia was fairing, before further explaining that seeing as her first slumber party had been unavoidably interrupted the previous night, she may as well try again. _"Especially now that I'll apparently have my work cut out for me within the near future, thanks to these extra training sessions you said both you and Elyon are now going to put me and Taranee through from now on. . . . May as well 'live it up' while I still can!"_

It was certainly nice to witness Will having calmed down a _great_ deal from that fateful meeting with Professor Kandrakar, but even more so to see her making a continual effort to further interact with her new housemates.

If only Elyon hadn't _insisted_ upon quarantining Cornelia to her bedroom, or else Cornelia would have honestly enjoyed resuming within the interrupted festivities, as hanging out with Will really had turned out to be quite a bit of fun Friday night.

Hanging out with both Will, _and_ Taranee.

And even though she, herself, was still secretly a tad bit on the fence about recently choosing to become a part of Professor Kandrakar's premiere X-Men, Cornelia didn't really believe that he was wrong to include both girls, the longer she thought about it.

Both really did have tremendous talent, _and_ were clearly loyal and dedicated, to boot, if Friday evening's disaster had been any indication.

If Cornelia had to be in charge of training anyone, both as a Junior Professor and now, as a mutual teammate, then she'd certainly lucked out. . . .

"Yes, well, now, thanks to me, it'll be an even _tinier_ cold come tomorrow when we head back to school! Don't forget, I know you incredibly well, Cornelia: Left up to you, you would have just carried on like it was no big deal, and not even bother with at _least_ taking some medicine," Elyon smirked as she delicately placed the golden tray which carried Cornelia's breakfast down onto her lap. "Now, _shush_ , and just eat up, already. I made sure to get all your usual favorites: Fruit salad, scrambled eggs, and apple juice, while I did make sure to throw in some of the oatmeal the kitchens were also serving, today."

" _Bleh_ . . . one hundred points for the yummy food, but _minus_ ten for including disgusting _oatmeal_ ," Cornelia playfully wrinkled her nose as she carefully sat up while still cozily wrapped up within her bed. "So much for knowing me so well, huh?"

Elyon rolled her eyes before reaching out to retrieve the yellow cloth napkin which had been folded neatly off to one side of the breakfast tray, and then began tucking it into the top of Cornelia's nightshirt.

"Yeah, yeah, _yeah_ , I get it. But right now you need something _hearty_ , so no more complaining – About _anything_. You're stuck with me 'till you're well again, and that's that!"

Although Cornelia had nearly choked upon the sip of apple juice she'd taken right before her friend had begun placing the cloth inside of her shirt without warning, she somehow managed to bestow a tremendously appreciative smile onto Elyon, nonetheless.

". . . . Thanks, Elyon. I mean that," she murmured warmly, lowering her guard for just a moment in order to allow a tad more emotion to shine through onto her face. "I know that I obviously haven't made it very easy for you, even risking exposing you to my cold, at that. But . . . I _do_ appreciate it, especially since you could be off, doing anything else. . . ."

Thankfully not appearing to catch Cornelia's double meaning, nor the honest look of adoration within her eyes, Elyon simply leaned back after having finished placed the napkin against her chest and chuckled.

"Well, considering we used to share a room together for _years_ , worrying about me catching your cold now I've moved out is sort of silly. And besides, you're my best friend, Cornelia. I _want_ to be here," she kindly remarked, reaching out to playfully squeeze one of Cornelia's covered legs before taking a seat on the bed. "Now, _eat_ already, before everything gets too cold!"

Hesitating for a moment, now struggling to conceal her blatant embarrassment, Cornelia awkwardly cleared her throat before then doing as she was told.

After another minute or two of silence, allowing for her to properly enjoy the regularly delicious food, even including the _oatmeal_ for once, Cornelia quietly piped up.

". . . . It's sort of funny, isn't it? I mean, how I'm now able to heal through my powers, yet here I am, unable to rid myself of something so simple as a _cold_. Better hope I don't catch one again during our upcoming future as X-Men, or else we'll be _done_ for: 'Here Lies Cornelia Hale. Done in by Rhinoviruses,'" she stated with a halfhearted scoff as she openly poked fun at herself for a change, causing both girls to break out into a fit of laughter.

"M-Maybe, but even if that _does_ happen, I'll be sure to deliver the _best_ eulogy possible," Elyon teased right alongside her, before settling down as best she could and continued. "B-But no, really. You always, _always_ do this, just as I've always, always _said_ this. You're too critical of your own abilities, Cornelia! If it's meant to be, I'm quite positive you'll master self-healing in no time flat! Now will you _stop?_ All this fretting is going to undo all my hard work!"

"Okay, okay, sorry! And you're right, I _do_ do that, don't I? That I am . . . a tad on the serious side, I mean. Probably why my hopeful date on Friday fell through and -" Cornelia cut herself off too late, automatically slapping a hand against her lips as she realized her mistake.

What was the _matter_ with her?

Just lately, she was positively _incapable_ of keeping everything together and her true feelings toward her best friend carefully hidden away as they'd always been!

_Maybe it's because I never had anyone to actively compete with before,_ she mused deplorably, lightly frowning to herself before immediately trying to repair the possible damage she might have just caused herself.

"O-Oh, _God_ , I didn't mean – ! That is, I was just saying that -"

"- It's okay, Cornelia, really. Well, no . . . it's _not_ okay, because like I said yesterday, whomever it was who stood you up obviously wasn't worth your time, nor knows what they're missing out on!" Elyon interrupted with a painfully sympathetic smile, tempting Cornelia to bury herself beneath her covers in order to fruitlessly spare herself any further shame. "H-Hey, I see that look! I'm serious! Take it from me, as someone who likes to believe they've been lucky enough to get to know the _real_ you . . . true, you can be serious, but really only where it truly matters. I'd just call it being super _mature_ for your age, that's all. And besides that, you're _incredibly_ smart, talented, dedicated, _painfully_ beautiful, and the list goes on and on!"

Cornelia unavoidably perked up at the last bit.

". . . . 'Painfully beautiful,' eh? Didn't know you found me so attractive that it just simply _devastates_ you, there, Ellie," she couldn't resist teasing, almost _flirting_ , if she was quite honest, though that usual brand of silly humor between them was thankfully commonplace.

Elyon didn't appear to catch the mild coquetry, all the same, as she simply waved a dismissive hand into the air and grinned.

" _Surrre_ , sure. If it'll help stroke your ego, then -"

"- H-Hey, Elyon? You in there? It's Amara!" both girls suddenly heard an unexpected knocking upon Cornelia's sealed door, causing Elyon to nearly fall off the bed within brief alarm.

"A-Amara? Wonder what's the matter," she muttered within open wonder as Cornelia merely shrugged within response, before resuming her temporarily forgotten meal and Elyon quickly went to open the door.

"Yay! _There_ you are! I honestly don't know why I didn't just check here first, _before_ looking around a few of your other usual spots around the institute!" the Brazilian preteen stated cheerfully, though her naturally almond toned skin began to grow a tad plum colored as she blushed within obvious abashment.

Elyon, friendly as always, simply shook her head and smiled back within understanding, before opening Cornelia's door a bit wider in order to invite the younger girl inside.

"No problem, Amara, good morning! To be fair, I _do_ have quite a bit of favorite places to hang out around here, so you never really do know where to find me! Want to come inside? Although, do be forewarned that Cornelia's come down with a cold, so be careful!" she stated with a renewed smile, at the same time that the Geothermic mutant leaned her body to one side to look past Elyon, and politely waved toward a smirking Cornelia within greeting.

" _Aww_ , feel better soon, Cornelia! As fellow 'Geos,' we gotta look out for one another, right? You guys know how sick _I_ feel whenever I'm away from the ground for too long . . . _blech!_ " the brunette momentarily pouted with a slight shiver as she casually brought up one of the personal drawbacks to her particular gifts. "But, a-anyway! Sorry, but I actually only came to find you to let you know that you have a phone call, Elyon!"

" _Me?_ "

" _Her?_ " both blondes questioned at the same time, causing Amara to giggle within obvious amusement.

It wasn't to say that Elyon was _friendless_ , as that was obviously far from the case.

It was simply that majority of said companions already resided within the same four walls as she did, so there was obviously very little need to telephone her.

It was also pretty much the main reason she'd never bothered to purchase a cell phone for herself, either . . . that, and because her _mind_ was a personal communicative device all on its own, and _far_ more powerful to boot.

"Mmhm! No idea who it is, but I _can_ say that it's a _boyyyy_. . . ." the middle schooler teased in between continued, borderline childish tittering, before giving another quick wave of goodbye and scampered off back down the hall.

Both Cornelia, as well as Elyon seized up at the unexpected news, certainly for different reasons, as Cornelia completely abandoned all attempts at finishing her breakfast and instead poured all of her attention onto her best friend's next move.

Surprisingly, or, _unsurprisingly_ , depending upon how it was looked at, Elyon didn't honestly know _what_ to do at first, instead seemingly preferring to remain planted within the open doorway.

After a few moments, an honest _eternity_ to Cornelia, however, Elyon promptly snapped out of her stupor and whirled around to look at the other blonde with confused, yet also undeniably _excited_ eyes.

". . . . I-I think it might be _Caleb!_ " she squeaked, practically vibrating within almost sickening jubilation, while Cornelia, on the other hand, forced herself to remain calm and simply smiled within support.

"I think that it is, myself," she stated casually, though her insides were knotting up with intermingling disappointment, as well as jealousy.

"W-Well, what do I do? Should I go answer him? How'd he even get the institute's number? A-And what about _you?_ I should -"

"- _Answer_ the phone, Elyon. I'll be fine, _really_. I'll just finish up my breakfast, and then maybe watch some television or something in the meantime, while you go and see what 'Lover Boy' wants," Cornelia cut the emotionally flustered girl off with another smile, this one a bit more stiff than the last, as she'd basically just kicked her out of her dorm room.

And if she possessed any sort of telekinetic abilities, herself, Cornelia quite honestly probably _would_ have, before she could have stopped herself.

Not seeming to sense any underlining qualms about the recent development, Elyon couldn't help but giggle uncontrollably, as the actual fact that she was receiving her very first telephone call from someone of the potential _boyfriend_ variety had clearly just sunk in.

"O-Okay! Well, then I guess I'll go take the call, see how he's doing, a-and then be _right_ back!" she stated gleefully, waving goodbye before closing the door without another word, making a promise Cornelia already had the very strong distinction would ultimately be broken. . . .

* * *

". . . . H . . . Hello?"

"Hello, E-Elyon? It's Caleb! I'm _really_ glad to hear your voice – Y-You know, after everything that'd happened on Friday," Elyon listened to Caleb gush within obvious relief, while she grinned uncontrollably into the receiver of the cordless telephone Amara had previously answered on her behalf.

Presently seated within the corner of one of the first floor's thankfully empty common rooms, Elyon had honestly taken far longer than originally intended before she'd finally picked up the phone.

She needed more than just a few _seconds_ to properly collect herself, after all.

That, and she really did feel bad for basically leaving Cornelia high and dry like that, especially since she was still not feeling well, in addition to having once more opened up about her _own_ so called love life just moments before Caleb had called.

It was certainly ill timing, to say the least.

Still, Elyon would have been lying if she hadn't been feeling positively beside herself with worry regarding the brunet's previously unknown fate up until that very moment, repeatedly kicking herself for never having bothered to exchange _some_ kind of personal information with him in all that time.

It was honestly a good thing that Caleb was clearly resourceful, or else Elyon would have probably gone completely _bald_ come Monday, thanks to all the _hair pulling_ she'd been secretly performing whenever allowing herself to think about him. . . .

"C-Caleb, _hi!_ H-Hello! How _are_ you? How'd you get this number? O-Oh! I mean –!" Elyon regrettably heard herself blathering on like a complete _buffoon_ , immediately placing an already sweaty palm to her face as she struggled not to scream within furthered mortification.

Thankfully, Caleb didn't appear to mind, as she instead listened to him softly chuckle within what sounded like honest nervousness of his own.

"H-Heh, heh . . . yeah, um. . . . I'm _real_ sorry to just up and call like this, unannounced, but after we'd scarily gotten separated Friday and I was forced to stay back and made to go home by the authorities whom were there at the time, I'd realized that I never got the chance to ask for your _number_ or anything like that to check in on you," he quietly explained, before slowly picking up steam. "But then, _thankfully_ , I remembered hearing that both you and your friend Cornelia live at that private school near 'Bayville High,' so I took a chance to see if I couldn't find its phone number online, like a general directory or something – Y-You know, for parents or whomever thinking of enrolling their kids there. _Either_ way, it was worth a shot since . . . since, you know, I didn't really want to have to wait until tomorrow to find out whatever happened to you. . . ."

Elyon felt herself becoming quite possibly as hot as Amara's entire body _literally_ became whenever fully activating her magma based abilities, she was that flustered.

She honestly didn't really know _how_ to answer Caleb's open show of genuine concern, and so instead regrettably heard herself merely hum out a soft, "Mmm . . . mmhmm. . . ."

Understandably perplexed, perhaps even put off by the girl's lackluster response, Caleb nonetheless continued.

". . . . _Eeeyeah_ , um . . . well, a-anyway! After initially getting an automated voice message filled with directory options, before then just going with the best one, some _stern_ sounding woman picked up. She started quickly mumbling some stuff away from the phone, I think about how the school's number wasn't meant for 'teenage gossiping,' and . . . yeah. Here you are, _thankfully_ ," he finished with a small exhale against the receiver on his end, before growing silent as he clearly waited for a more substantial response this time around.

Somehow pushing through her ongoing sheepishness, Elyon forced an awkward giggle past her dangerously parched lips as she began to apologize.

"O-Oh, sorry about that, Caleb! That was . . . was probably Professor Starlighter who'd answered. She, uh . . . hah, hah . . doesn't really have the _best_ patience for these kinds of things," it was her turn to explain with a nod to no one in particular, before taking a deep breath in order to better steel her emotions. "B-But, really, though . . . _thank_ you for calling. I really do appreciate it, Caleb. . . ."

"Heh, yeah, no problem, Elyon. And see? At least, in the end, I _did_ manage to find you, after all," a smile clearly sounding within Caleb's voice as he responded, doing what Elyon could only wonder if it was meant to be flirting.

_Was_ it?

She was trying _so_ hard not to overly read into every little thing Caleb did or said, that it was honestly like enduring hours of Danger Room exercises, back to _back_ , she was feeling that strained!

Once their conversation inevitably ended (preferably straight until _curfew_ , perhaps), Elyon really was going to have to _finally_ seek professional help regarding better understanding the ins and outs of the dating scene.

Until then, swallowing hard, Elyon then took the very nerve wracking opportunity to flirt _back_ by stating, "Y-Yes, you did . . . although m-maybe I should give you my email address, so that you'll never be able to lose me again. . . ."

Elyon wished that she could somehow eat her own _face_ the very moment silence swiftly descended upon both sides after that.

What was she thinking?

Of _course_ Caleb hadn't been flirting with her earlier!

It was just general concern anyone else within his position would have had!

How could she been so st –

". . . . U-Um, well . . . in that case, how about we go even further, and I make everything up to you by taking you out to a movie, or something this week? T-That is, only if you want to, I mean," Caleb unknowingly interrupted Elyon's private misery as he nervously asked her out once more, utterly taking her aback as a result.

"T-That . . . I mean, that was unexpected," she openly confessed before she could stop herself, biting down hard onto her bottom lip as she thankfully listened to Caleb release a breath he'd evidently been holding onto and gaily chuckled.

"Well, yeah, s-sure! Why not? Our last date ended . . . _incredibly_ poorly, for obvious reasons, so technically we can't even really count it," he explained after calming down, though his blatant eagerness encouraged Elyon to partake within a few giggles, herself. "And besides, I'd still like to get to know you, and I feel I barely got to as a result. So . . . what do you say? I have MMA – Er, 'Mixed Martial Arts' every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, so I can definitely swing this coming Friday, again if you're free, too."

Elyon had to pause a moment, as she genuinely had to think about it.

Her answer was most definitely _yes_ , hands down; however, in light of recent events, she wondered if she'd even be allowed to go out anywhere besides school by week's end.

Would any of her fellow housemates?

After all, Oracle had already dashed the planned hopes for several of his students for _this_ weekend, alone, although understandably.

Elyon had to wonder what the overall 'weather' would be like this coming week as the dust slowly began to settle a bit more properly.

Plus, besides all that, there was the added fact that she now had even more responsibilities to contend with, coupled with her own extra training, alongside.

Would now really be the best time to start dating, if that's really the direction Caleb was attempting to lead the two of them?

Still . . . what harm could one little date do?

As far as 'Disastrous Dates' go, Elyon would have to say that she'd already gotten _that_ milestone out of the way in _spades_ , at the risk of making light of Friday evening's catastrophe.

After all that, there was really no place else to go but up.

And so, taking a deep, honestly shaky breath, Elyon happily accepted.

"N-No, Friday sounds great, Caleb! I'd _love_ to see a movie with you, thanks! I, uh . . . I heard from some of my housemates that two really interesting ones just released this weekend, actually," she replied with a smile, gazing toward the nearby window at the habitually peaceful scenery of that sunny Sunday morning.

"Yeah, so did I! I think one of them's a rom-com or something like that, while the other's the latest installment to that _huge_ superhero franchise that's been going on the past few years, actually," Caleb concurred with doubled interest, as they were clearly touching upon a particular topic he could get behind with ease. "Personally, I've been kinda waiting for it to come out. The superhero movie, I mean. But, uh, obviously, I'll go see whichever one you choose, though!"

Having a vague idea of which series Caleb was presently on about, Elyon truthfully hadn't any interest within watching paid actors merely _pretending_ they each possessed superhuman abilities.

Her every day life was basically a superhero movie, after all, _especially_ after Friday night.

Heck, especially after yesterday afternoon, when Irma even outright _labeled_ Elyon and their mutual friends precisely that.

Something _much_ more subdued and potentially relaxing would definitely be the way to go . . . however, hearing the effortless enthusiasm behind Caleb's voice to clearly forgo the romantic comedy made Elyon unable to burst his bubble.

"U-Uh, sure! We can go see that one! I have to admit, though, that I've never before seen any of the preexisting ones, but this one still really caught my eye!" she somehow managed to lie with an awkward giggle, silently praying she hadn't given herself away.

Caleb didn't seem to notice, thankfully, as he, too, softly laughed before responding.

"You sure? I mean, I really have no problem watching the rom-com, though. But, all right, cool! So, um . . . I guess I'll just pick you up at your school this Friday around seven or so, now that I know that you for sure definitely live there!" he stated joyfully, before the pair then exchanged email addresses and a few more words before finally hanging up.

Upon doing so, Elyon initially needed a few moments to herself once again, _this_ time in order to come back down from the high which had been that overall conversation.

Before she knew it and could even stop herself, she suddenly began to slowly float clear off of the couch she'd been sitting on via her telekinesis, as if within some sort of clichéd work of fiction.

"Yeah, and then she _totally_ – ! E-Elyon, that you? You _okay_ , there?" Elyon suddenly heard Jubilee call out from behind, causing her to fall abruptly back down onto the couch with a heavy thump.

"O-Oh, hey! _Hey_ , yeah, hi, Jubilee! I was just, uh . . . doing some levitation exercises! But I'm done, and so now I'm gonna go, see ya!" Elyon quickly blurted out within sheer humiliation, hopping out of her seat and nearly _plowing_ the older teenager over as she passed and headed toward the exit.

"U-Um . . . 'kaaay. . . .? Laters!" Jubilee replied within blatant perplexity and a soft smile, before then promptly resuming the cell phone conversation she'd previously been carrying on within.

Maybe it was about time Elyon finally invested some of her saved allowance into a mobile device of her own, after all, if only it would mean no longer being roundly embarrassed any time Caleb, or any _other_ boy for that matter, might call for her within the near future!

* * *

She knew that it was going to happen.

She wasn't a rookie guidance counselor, naturally.

Plus, there had been the added, 'lovely' bonus of the quick faculty meeting earlier on that Monday morning letting her know that it'd be happening.

Even the school assembly which had been conducted in lieu of an actual first period had also given her an even more blatant head's up.

Still, Nerissa didn't think all the foresight in the world could have prepared her for how terribly _boring_ her day was going to become.

It wasn't even fourth period yet, and already she wanted to positively claw her _eyes_ out . . . or, better yet, temporarily pop her _eardrums_ so that she'd have the legitimate excuse of no longer being able to listen to any more children _whine_ and moan about their feelings.

In fact, the only reason Nerissa hadn't called in sick today, knowing that she'd be saddled with double duty as a safe space for her assigned students, was because she had her _own_ agenda to tend to . . . one which would _hopefully_ make enduring her generally painful vocation a tiny bit bearable. . . .

". . . . and that's really it, I guess, Miss Crossnic. I just . . . I just can't get it all out of my _head_. I mean, if I hadn't snuck out to go see the concert with my boyfriend, instead of staying home grounded, then I wouldn't be plagued with all these _nightmares_ about the explosion," Nerissa tuned back in in time to hear the tale end of her student's dramatic spiel, looking up from her admittedly doodled upon clipboard placed upon her desk in order to lock eyes with the skinny brunette.

This one was an absolute, emotional _wreck_ on the whole, so there was really no wonder she was now experiencing night terrors over the previous danger of Karmilla's derailed rock concert.

All the same, Nerissa desperately wished that she could for once speak the complete, unabashed truth to _all_ of her students, not just this one, and simply inform them that they were _morons_.

Every last one of them.

Every single day there was something else going on, and if Nerissa wasn't more or less 'fixing' the one thing, _another_ one would pop right up in its place!

Granted, this time around, there could be a bit of credit given toward Melissa's honest _neurosis_ , having experienced such obvious terror, and all.

Still!

Having to sit there and pretend to not only give a damn, but to actually provide some form of consoling solution (which the younger girl now _clearly_ expected) was just too much!

At this rate, Nerissa was certainly likely to develop a complex of her own . . . not honestly.

Today just _better_ be the day where she'd finally have what she'd need to be done with this ongoing, quite _vile_ facade once and for all. . . .

"Mmhm . . . that sounds, uh . . . very, very intriguing, Melissa. _Alarming_ , that is. Alarming," Nerissa corrected her initial description upon catching sight of Melissa's mortified stare at her seat across from her. "It is . . . perfectly natural to suddenly feel so helpless after such an understandably traumatizing event. Perhaps you could sit down with your parents later this evening and talk to _them_ about all of this, as well, in addition to apologizing for having disobeyed them in the first place. . . . And then, in the meantime you can continue to give those college applications I'd given you last week some more thought, yes? All right!"

"W-Well, okay, I will, but I _really_ feel like I have much more to unpack and -"

"- _Wonderful!_ I'll have to see you another time, though, dear, as we're out of time! You're not the only one who'd nearly _perished_ this past weekend, after all!" Nerissa quickly interrupted the emotionally rattled senior as she promptly stood from her desk, and began ushering her out of her office. "Just try to smile, _breathe_ , keep calm and carry on and all that, yes? Have a good day, now!"

Nerissa heaved a great sigh of relief to finally be rid of that one, if only for today, as she quickly sealed the door to her private office.

They really didn't pay her enough for this.

Craning her head in order to look at the clock hanging directly above her, it now read fifty-nine minutes after nine, making it only two minutes until the bell rang, signaling the end of third period.

Perfect timing, indeed.

While she didn't expect them to be prompt (as they honestly never were for many of their general classes, nor previous appointments), Nerissa did still expect both Uriah and Laurent to show up, full stop, as she had also directly summoned _Kurt_ to accompany them, alongside, knowing having done so would naturally make it within their best interest to make an appearance.

Besides the main fact that Kurt, at least, wasn't even assigned to Nerissa as a student, given that his last name was further down the alphabet, thanks to Sienna Nerissa had preexisting insight into the trio's present dilemma . . . one she was, for once, only too _happy_ to assist with. . . .

The sleek, black colored office phone perched upon the usual corner of Nerissa's meticulously pristine desk surprisingly began to ring a few minutes later, nearly precisely at the same time that the school bell had, concluding third period.

"Hmm . . . well this is certainly a first," Nerissa murmured to herself with a devilish, amused smirk as she casually sauntered over toward the telephone, already knowing the reason Debra, one of the school's administrative assistants would be phoning. "I see the guilt of what you'd done has prompted you boys to be on _time_ for a change. . . ."

"Hello, yes, Miss Crossnic? Your ten o'clock appointment is here," the blonde woman stated within her usually chipper voice as soon as Nerissa answered the phone, further confirming what she'd already suspected. ". . . . And not a moment too soon, the poor things. Mister Van Buren looks positively _petrified_."

Nerissa honestly had to stifle a bit of laughter at this, feeling all the more confident that this would be a _cakewalk_.

"M-Mmm . . . I understand, thank you, Debra. You may send them in," she purposefully cleared her throat in order to mask her temporary lack of professionalism, before hanging up the phone and clasping her hands together as she continued to stand beside her desk.

She honestly didn't have to wait long, as mere seconds later the door to her office opened, and barreling in came Uriah, Laurent, and a positively _drenched_ Kurt bringing up the rear.

Insufferably sweet and well meaning as always, Debra could have at _least_ warned Nerissa of the immensely suffocating _stench_ the young man was regrettably emitting.

If she'd ever learned of his mutant identity, that woman would actually probably more so _sympathize_ with, rather than fear Kurt, even Nerissa had to admit . . . although once her plans progressed to full fruition, none of that would honestly matter, anyhow.

Immediately struggling not to vomit, Nerissa forced a tight smile onto her face as she did her best to convey the usual put on air of comfort and concern.

". . . . G-Good morning, boys. Quite _prompt_ today, aren't we? Please . . . do have a seat. I was . . . just about to open up a window, as it's _such_ a lovely day so far," she greeted in between labored breaths, waving her hand toward the powder blue colored couch hugging the wall next to the door.

Practically sprinting toward the large window behind her, Nerissa then did her best to leisurely lift it up as she resisted leaning toward the newfound opening in order to take a deep breath of blessed fresh air.

"Good . . . morning, Miss Crossnic. The guys and I really didn't want to . . . waste even a _moment_ of 'letting it all out,' so we came straight after class," Nerissa listened to Uriah respond as casually as he could, assuming leadership amongst the trio, like always.

_Clever lad . . . surprisingly_ , she couldn't help but muse upon hearing the redhead's given excuse for being on time for his appointment. _More likely you did not wish to draw even an ounce of suspicion toward yourselves regarding this particular matter . . . though doing so has ironically resulted within the opposite effect. . . ._

"U-Uh, um . . . r-right, that's _right!_ But, I, um . . . d-don't really get why _I_ was asked to come, too . . . s-since Mister Lanskey is _my_ guidance counselor," Kurt stammered out uncontrollably as Nerissa turned back around to face the three increasingly nervous looking boys now seated before her, observing Uriah's futile attempts to discreetly nudge at his drenched companion's side in order to silence him.

_Showtime. . . ._ Nerissa thought with a faintly entertained smile to herself, before then proceeding to deliver the best performance of sympathy she'd executed in quite a while.

"O-Oh, just _look_ at you, clearly so beside yourselves over the sheer tragedy of this past Friday! Here, Kurt, please! Have some water," she gasped within feigned alarm as she carefully lifted the clear pitcher of chilled water, which was always kept upon her desk for the benefit of her students each day, and poured a fresh glass for the now trembling boy. "This is _precisely_ why Principal Knickerbocker has urged that we set up these extra meetings this week, so that each of you can feel completely safe and let out any sort of confusion, fear or . . . what have you. And, to answer your question, young Kurt, I'd already spoken with Mister Lanskey prior to scheduling this meeting, and explained that I'd felt that it might help you . . . _confess_ your emotions better about everything if you were with two of your closest friends at the same time. . . ."

Uriah promptly spoke up at this, clearly not wishing to take any chances that neither one of his companions would screw something up, yet ironically nearly gave them all away, _himself_ , as he did so.

"Y-Yeah, okay, but we weren't even there, though! I-I mean, like . . . we didn't _see_ nothin' o-or y'know, _blow_ anything up or whatever," he remarked defensively as both Laurent and Kurt immediately gazed at him incredulously with widened eyes, before he, too, appeared as though he very much wished to jump out of Nerissa's now open, second floor window.

Nerissa couldn't help but raise an intrigued eyebrow at this.

" _Mmhmmm_ . . . I see. Rather _specific_ train of thought there, wouldn't you agree, Uriah? That is, of all the things to say as we now open up the floor for discussion," she commented casually as she moved closer and handed the cool glass of water to a clearly grateful Kurt, whom already swiftly downed more than half of the liquid before Nerissa had even made it back to her desk to take a seat.

" _N-No_ , like, um – ! I'm thinking that Uriah's just trying to say that the three of us couldn't _possibly_ be strong enough to take out a gigantic place as that amphitheater had been, Miss Crossnic!" Laurent at last piped up to put in his undoubtedly unwanted two cents, as he usually, as Nerissa periodically observed, would create more _harm_ than good as a result.

" _C-Clubber!_ " Uriah cried out uncontrollably, at the same time that Kurt spat out the renewed bit of the water which had been within his mouth, causing it to disgustingly dribble down his continually perspiring chin.

Nerissa shivered within repulsion at the sight right as she was _finally_ about to sit down, before managing to recollect herself long enough in order to hand the box of tissues (which were also on usual standby) upon her desk toward the purple haired teenager, as she once again made her way back over to him.

_. . . . To hell with this_ , she thought as her naturally impulsive nature swiftly took control, choosing to forgo her original plan of 'Patience and Kindness,' and instead got _right_ to the point.

"All right, listen, and listen _well_. I have it on good authority that what has been reported on the news thus far about the accident _isn't_ really the case," she stated impatiently as she practically shoved the box of tissues into Kurt's outstretched hand, though she did her best not to make physical contact lest she, too, then regrettably become covered within his putrid odor. "Yes. Point in case, I believe that Mister Hampton here was onto something for a change . . . because I personally believe that you three _were_ 'strong enough' to destroy that amphitheater. . . ."

Thoroughly unprepared for the recent turn of events, _especially_ suddenly witnessing his guidance counselor behave within any other manner than her usually subdued and pleasant like demeanor, Uriah did his best to remain absolutely _calm_ as he swiftly fired back with, "R-Right, _sure!_ Because I'm _so_ sure you have proof of anything! W-Which, of course, isn't even me saying we had anything to do with _anything_ , or were even there, like I already said!"

Sighing within dramatic effect, Nerissa then cleared her throat as she'd already composed herself, moved toward the door of her office in order to mysteriously _lock_ it, before turning back around and bestowing onto her students the most _chilling_ smile they'd have ever seen.

". . . . You'd like some _proof_ , my dear Uriah? Well, then . . . so be it," she nearly whispered, the smile upon her face growing as her gray eyes, in fact the entire sclerae of each suddenly began to glow a bright, brilliant hue of teal . . . at the same time that the now balled up fist of her right hand did the very same.

Before any boy could somehow find his voice again, the suddenly revealed to be a _mutant_ Nerissa thankfully then directed her attention toward the pitcher of water still set upon the edge of her desk . . . and then, without warning, released a medium sized sphere of energy from out of her now outstretched palm.

Both Kurt, and _especially_ Uriah let out an incredibly startled yelp at the sight, much as he had done upon having witnessed the initial collapse of _Bayville Lakeview Amphitheater_.

" _O-Oh!_ " Uriah squealed unreservedly, practically jumping onto an equally fearful Laurent's lap as all three friends watched as Nerissa's bluish white colored energy ball made direct impact with the glass pitcher, causing it to mercilessly shatter into several pieces as a result.

Although half of her office was now a complete mess, something she normally could not tolerate, Nerissa evidently felt the need to drive the point home even further, regardless.

Before the now broken handle could even finish its steady trajectory toward the floor, she then demonstrated her expert precision of her ability by suddenly shooting a _literally_ piercing beam straight from out of her still glowing eyes, causing the falling glass to split in half before then breaking completely against the ground. . . .

". . . . _H-Holy_ -"

"- _Aether_ , actually, to be more precise. 'Aether Ball Projection,' one of the much, _much_ more tremendously advanced forms of _Electrokinesis_ , of which I so clearly possess," Nerissa at last attempted to explain, as both her eyes and hand promptly ceased within glowing, returning to normal very much like her overall _demeanor_ , scarily enough.

She was about to press on when there came a sudden knock on the door behind her which, through her haste within exposing all four of them, her students included, as mutants, admittedly hadn't paused to consider what a natural commotion having done so would cause.

"H-Hello, Miss Crossnic? Is everything all right in there? I thought that I'd heard something break, a-and some _screaming!_ " Nerissa exhaled heavily as she listened to Debra's understandably concerned voice ringing out from behind the sealed door, before Nerissa forced a smile of appreciation upon her face as she unlocked and opened the door.

"H-Hmm? Oh, oh! Yes, everything is _quite_ fine, thank you Debra! What you'd evidently heard was actually a bit of a private, emotional _breakthrough_ for one of the boys, here, you understand. And my _pitcher_ , unfortunately, had simply paid the price as a result," she effortlessly explained away with a continued smile as she carefully poked her raven colored head outside of her now partially opened door.

She didn't consider herself to be a master manipulator for nothing.

True to form, Debra, appearing to buy into the excuse, quickly nodded and smiled within relief as she then asked, "O-Oh! Thank _goodness!_ I mean, that no one is apparently hurt physically, of course! Would . . . Would you like me to come in and help clean up, or -"

"- No, no, I have it, thank you! You know how I prefer not to be disturbed during my appointments, especially during particularly vulnerable moments as this. That will be all," Nerissa promptly shot the other woman down, laying on thick the notion of gratitude even further by even going as far as reaching out to place a hand upon Debra's shoulder before closing her office door once more.

". . . . _W-Wow_. And I-I thought that _I_ was pretty good at playing the other teachers," Uriah breathed within an honest hodge-podge of awe, as well as lingering fear over everything which had just transpired within the last several minutes, alone.

" _Y-Yeah_ . . . I can't believe, like, we've been comin' to our guidance counselor and making up random stories just to get her off our backs for always 'checking in on us,' a-and it turns out this entire time that she's a mutant like _us!_ " Laurent quietly agreed, although his voice became a bit less nerve wracked as the unexpected realization continued to properly sink in.

Nerissa nearly informed the incredibly large lad that she was absolutely _nothing_ like any one of them, before somehow managing to catch herself in time, as she had to keep reminding herself that she'd catch far more flies with honey.

So instead, she merely began to _chuckle_.

"Hm, hm, hm! That we _are_ , Laurent, that we are! So you see, you've really _nothing_ to fear over what you'd accomplished on Friday evening! _Certainly_ not from me!" she stated with a firm shake of her head, before carefully moving around the shards of glass and growing puddle of water on the floor, then stopped in order to stand beside the now innocently grinning, bulbous blonde. "Why, in _fact_ , I think what you'd each done was nothing short of _amazing!_ I'm serious! As you'd already pointed out, that amphitheater _had_ been rather sizable – Certainly competently built, to be sure – and yet, _regardless_ , your combined strength had been enough to completely _demolish_ it! If I were you, I would not be sweeping this fact underneath the rug; I would be _celebrating_ it. . . ."

Pausing for a moment, Uriah was apparently the next to be brought around, promptly flipping his originally firm stance of keeping quiet as he slowly began to smirk before remarking, ". . . . H-Hey, yeah. _Yeah!_ That's true, though, isn't it? A-And I mean, no one got _hurt_ and we were never _caught_ – W-Well, except by you, somehow, clearly – so what would be the harm in owning it? At least, between the three of us, anyway! _Right_ , you guys?"

This did _not_ sit well with _Kurt_ within the slightest, however, as he, still clenching onto his temporarily forgotten glass of water practically for dear life, promptly shot up to his feet.

"W-What? Are you _kidding_ me? Uriah, this whole time you've been giving me and Clubber _such_ a hard time about not cracking, a-and just acting like the concert never even _happened_ , and now you're doing _both_ in one fell swoop?" he cried within utter disbelief, Nerissa privately feeling momentarily impressed by the boy's apparent backbone and mild common sense. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Crossnic! This doesn't have _anything_ to do with you, o-or your . . . being a mutant in secret this whole time like us, but I just think this whole thing is completely crazy! _He's_ crazy!"

"O-Oh! _I'm_ crazy? _Who's_ the one who was _right_ there with me, wanting to get back at those bi – E-Er, _girls_ for turning us down as dates, hmm? That's right, pal! _You_ were! I didn't twist your arm in joining me and Clubber in that prank," Uriah heatedly shot back, he too abruptly rising to his feet and actively pointing an accusatory finger toward his pungent friend.

Kurt stuttered incredulously at this for a few seconds, before then gritting his teeth and choosing to continue to boldly stand his ground.

"W-Wha –? Yes, you _did!_ You _completely_ egged me on, just like you always do, and convinced me that a 'little stink bomb' would be _harmless!_ Well, lookit what it's done! Good job, stupid!"

Nerissa had to hold back her renewed laughter, she was honestly enjoying the ongoing spectacle, as both boys freely continued to dig themselves deeper and deeper into the hole they _still_ hadn't any clue they'd fallen into.

Instead, she merely took a step back and calmly walked over to her desk, before at last taking a seat onto her still dry, and incredibly comfortable leather chair.

It was, after all, still technically a part of her every day job description, 'helping' her students through their problems, be it academically, or even sometimes personal.

And boy, was this _ever_ shaping out to be personal.

"Hey! Don't call me stupid, _nitwit!_ If anything, you should blame _Clubber_ , if you wanna point fingers! Talk about stupid, it's _his_ fault the entire place went down, thanks to his freakish super strength! If he hadn't slapped us both on the back the way that he had, we _never_ would've had our powers fire off like that on their own!" Uriah barked as he continued to glare daggers at his rebelling minion, instead choosing to shift gears within his blame game in attempts to lure Kurt back onto his side.

While normally generally going with the flow, as Uriah clearly expected the dumbest of the bunch to continue doing, Laurent ended up completely blindsiding him as his massive girth slowly, yet menacingly rose from off of the couch, as _well_.

A deep scowl now firmly planted upon his face, he then quickly reached out in order to effortlessly pluck both Uriah, _and_ Kurt from off of the ground with each hand.

" _What_ was that you said about 'stupid,' Uriah? I ain't as smart as the sharpest crayon in the lunchbox, but I _do_ know what happens to things that go _squish_ ," Laurent surprisingly defended himself, the first time in none of them even _knew_ how long (or, if ever, really), their overall dilemma evidently not _completely_ lost on him as originally perceived . . . in spite of continuing to openly display his _own_ mutant abilities directly in front of his previously unassuming guidance counselor. "So I ain't about to go down for this whole thing, _alone_ , either! If _I_ go down, _you_ do too!"

"Mmm . . . despite the fact that you presently have them _dangling_ back and forth within your arms like decorative wind chimes, yes," Nerissa couldn't help but openly note with a growing smirk, drawing her hands back together within continued amusement, before feeling that the trio had blown off enough steam for the time being. " _Quite_ the impressive amount of strength you have there, though! I can now better understand how you all could have blotted out that amphitheater, based upon your collective venting . . . and besides hoping that you now each feel a bit better letting it all out – Because remember, this is _still_ very much a safe environment – I am positively even _more_ impressed, if you can believe it!

"In fact, at the risk of boasting a bit, myself, I am probably one of the _only_ members of faculty here who truly _can_ understand how very _special_ you boys are, and of the equally special feat you'd achieved. You see, before Bayville, I used to work, as well as _live_ at 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters' many years ago. . . . I'm sure, by now, you boys might be aware of what it's . . . _really_ about, yes?"

Thankfully already calming down, Laurent absently released his companions as he carelessly dropped them back onto the couch, before all three then listened with intrigued attentiveness toward the news.

" _A-Ah!_ _Geez,_ Clubber. . . . I, uh, _we_ , I guess, do know about that school, kinda, yeah, Miss Crossnic. I mean, how it's basically just a _mutant_ school, all out in the open and what not like that," Uriah momentarily squeaked after having been thrown down onto the couch, before quickly recomposing himself and attempted to reclaim even the _smallest_ measure of the control he'd honestly never really possessed in the first place. "And then, from what the guys and I have heard from kids who used to live there, or were thinking of but didn't for whatever reason, one of the biggest kickers is that the teachers teach all about how mutants are supposed to be using their powers to _help_ people. . . . Y-Yeah, yeah . . . and what else. . . . Oh! _Right_ , and how, basically like, one of these days we'll all be exposed to the world and junk, so like, by helping out and all that, we'll be able to live _peacefully_ , side by side like normal."

Nerissa slightly tilted her head at this, and faintly smiled.

Perhaps this was going to be even easier than she thought, as her previous suspicions regarding Uriah's own personal philosophy toward the eventual coexistence between humans and mutants appeared to be spot on.

". . . . And I take it, then, that you don't really agree with that?"

Uriah merely shrugged as his initial response, lazily beginning to tap his foot against the tiled floor, at the same time that he stuck a finger into one of his naturally large ears.

"Meh! I don't really care _what_ that place does, to be honest. My parents thought about sending me there way back when, but I was just like, _pfft!_ It's whatever, y'know?" he replied with a heavy scoff, now aggressively cleaning out his right ear with his bony finger. "But, _fine_ , I mean, since we're all being so 'share-y' right now, if you got right down to it: _No_ , then, I'd much rather stand out and take _charge_ , instead of be treated like 'everyone else.' I mean, I'm already _not_ , anyway, right? I can shoot _spikes_ from out of my body, for cripe's sake! Spikes which, I might add, I saw slice clean through a metal-freaking- _beam_ on Friday! I-I – ! I-I didn't even know they could _do_ that, okay? So, y'know! _Stuff_ that, wanting to just blend in with all the normies!"

Nerissa bit down onto her lip as she did her best to ignore the giant _chunk_ of dried earwax which was just then plucked from out of Uriah's ear, as she then turned her attention onto a now deathly quiet Kurt.

"And you, Kurt? Is that how _you_ feel, as well?"

Nearly jumping out of his skin, clearly not prepared to be directly addressed regarding the matter, slowly licked his woefully parched lips as he peered down at the now empty glass of water he'd _somehow_ managed to maintain a hold of in all that time.

"I-I . . . feel like I could go for about twenty jugs of water right about now, for starters," he stated honestly before continuing, privately forcing himself to just pretend that he was simply back within one of his _regular_ therapy sessions . . . although, for _once_ , deciding to take a chance and reveal precisely _everything_ which was always on his mind regarding his particular mutant 'talents.' "B-But . . . I _also_ feel . . . that I've had it up to _here_ with being a mutant! O-Or, well . . . not honestly that, but just all the _downsides_ to what I can do, anyway. I-I'm _tired_ of everyone pointing a-and laughing, and of my having the ability to basically part the hallways within _seconds_ all because I have an uncontrollable stench! I-I'm tired of having to just sort of grin and _bear_ it, while also being forced to pretend that I'm just the smelly fat kid who doesn't know how to take a _shower!_ A-And I'm _really_ tired of being shot down by every girl I dare to try asking out – Even some of the normally pretty nice, and so called _accepting_ ones – all because she's afraid that I'll just _sweat_ all over her before we even make it out of her house on our would be first date!

"I'm just . . . _tired_ of taking it, _and_ tired of _apologizing_ for something I can't even change! . . . . I-In fact, now that I think about it, the only thing I'm _really_ sorry for is that I can't do more of what I'd done with Uriah and Clubber on Friday! W-Well, not the whole causing reckless property damage, maybe, b-but using my _powers_ the way that I did, and out in the open! It may have been an accident, but for _once_ I didn't have to _hide_ , just like Uriah said! E-Even now, _right_ now, just finally letting everything out like this is _great_ since my normal therapist isn't a mutant, and so he naturally can't know about everything. So . . . I may not honestly have much of an opinion about what that school's overall message is shootin' for, either, but I _do_ know that if that day ever comes, I don't want to be pushed aside anymore – _Especially_ not then. . . ."

Much to both Kurt's, as well as Nerissa's complete surprise, not only did neither Laurent nor Uriah attempt to make some sort of joke at the clearly emotionally vulnerable boy's expense . . . but Nerissa, herself, actually began to experience a genuine moment of _sympathy_ toward him.

Hearing Kurt open up and still very clearly trust her overall intentions implicitly almost made her feel minutely reluctant to include such a fragile being within her plans.

Perhaps it was actively reminiscing about her former years being surrounded by _many_ Kurts, and even _Uriahs_ in the past while still acting as an instructor at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_ which presently influenced her honestly uncharacteristic moment of general regard toward humanity . . . such as it was.

She only knew that it had to _stop_ , lest her mind continued to steadily fill with the _very_ unwanted memories of her past.

. . . . Of _her_.

Inhaling slowly, Nerissa momentarily frowned before clearing her throat and managing to muster up a fake smile of comfort, as her carefully guarded emotions had already tucked themselves away again into the far recesses of her iron heart.

"I . . . see. I really, and truly do," she delivered within her patented, velvety smooth tone of voice primarily used for such times of influence, rising to her feet once more and walking toward her students. "I may not obviously possess such . . . _unique_ abilities as you do, Kurt, but I understand how _frustrating_ it can be to want to shout to the rooftops, 'I'm a mutant! I'm _better_ than you!', _especially_ when you're still so young. And it's true: You _are_ better than humans. _All_ of you are. Why should you – _We_ have to keep hiding and striving to act like the rest of them, yes? We didn't _ask_ to be born special, so why should we continue behaving as though we _aren't_ honestly the ones who are far more superior? In fact . . . this philosophy – No, this _fact_ is actually the primary reason I no longer teach at 'Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters.' Long ago, I used to believe as they do over there, working to build a future where mutants and humans could live together in harmony, and all that. But . . . once I'd removed those rose colored glasses and actually realized the _truth_ of the matter, that _we_ should be the ones on top and in charge, I simply had to part ways."

"Mmm, maybe you should start your _own_ school, then," Laurent innocently piped up at the same time that Nerissa watched as Uriah sickeningly wiped the nugget of dried earwax onto the side of his blue khakis, in spite of the fact that the box of tissues she had presented to Kurt was still sat upon the couch right _next_ to him. "Ya know, so then you could get all the kids who think like you do about this into one spot, and then maybe they _won't_ feel so frustrated about everything anymore! Yeah, yeah! 'Cause I mean, I dunno if any of you've noticed, but I can kinda _schmoosh_ anything that comes my way, without much effort! But I just gotta keep listenin' to what my folks remind me to do, which is to 'Exercise _control_ ,' and _foooocus_ really hard on not breaking this _couch_ every time I sit down, for example . . . or to take my _tiiiime_ whenever opening things up like doors, drinks or my locker, so's none of them completely smash to _pieces!_ I _even_ gotta pretend to act all hurt and _scrawny-like_ whenever someone tries to knock me over during gym class or whatever! I'm tellin' ya, it's all _exhausting!_ I don't really care, like Kurt _does_ , if everyone calls _me_ 'fat' and all that, seein' as I know that it's at least 'cause of my powers that make me this way, somehow, I guess, but . . . _man!_ It'd sure be nice to just let loose and . . . a-and, well, _smash_ some stuff!"

For whatever reason, Laurent's habitually indolent synapses appeared to be _extra_ fired up that morning, something which Nerissa thoroughly appreciated and readily planned to take advantage of, especially now that it seemed that all she needed to do was simply say the word and all _three_ boys would officially become her newest patsies. . . .

"W-Well! My own school, how about that? That would _certainly_ be interesting, wouldn't it, _and_ give Professor Kandrakar's a run for his money!" Nerissa feigned flattery, before placing a finger to her chin as she pretended that an idea had just come to her. "Hmm . . . while I'm not sure about a school, I _have_ been thinking about forming a _group_ of sorts in the meantime. Yes, one comprised of only the most trustworthy, most _talented_ , and brave individuals, so that they can help me make this dream – _Our_ dream of making mutants the ones within the majority a reality! Could you . . . no, _would_ you be willing to join me, boys? To join my 'Collective?'"

While Laurent was already nodding, whether or not he seemed to realize it, Kurt still appeared to be on the fence, although a small, yet noticeable smile was thankfully beginning to form upon his lips, nonetheless.

_Uriah_ , meanwhile, eagerly hopped back onto his feet, clapped his dirty hands together and grinned.

"H-Hey! So long as _I_ get to call the shots – Well, you know, like besides _you_ and stuff – then I'm _totally_ in! Doing small time pranks all the time _has_ started to become pretty boring, anyway. And, bonus? People will finally be _forced_ to recognize the sheer _genius_ and awesomeness which is myself!" he remarked arrogantly, taking the bait for the apparent reasons Nerissa already had the strong inkling that he would.

Nerissa mimicked the redhead's previous actions by lightly clapping her own hands together, as well.

" _Wonderful_ , thank you! And what of the rest of you?"

Laurent, too, began smiling brightly before also climbing to his feet as he stated, "Sure, why not? I bet that I'll _finally_ get to do some proper 'Smash-n-Trashin'' along the way! Hey, Kurt! How 'bout _you?_ "

"Yeah, pal! We can't really do this without you! You know, the 'Three Musketeers!' That's us! 'All for us, and none for you,' our motto, remember?" Uriah turned to lift a continually silent, now only _partially_ damp Kurt from off of the couch as Nerissa noted Uriah beginning to weave his _own_ manipulative web by actively playing the friendship card.

Pausing a moment, an honest _eternity_ to Nerissa, quite frankly, Kurt cleared his throat before finally voicing his own decision.

". . . . Well . . . I'm sure that I'll probably be _ten_ times more useful to have around for whatever, what with my newly discovered _corrosive_ _blasts_ , versus Uriah's _puny_ bone toothpicks," he murmured with a growing smirk, at the same time that both Uriah, as well as _Laurent_ , unfortunately, wrapped their arms around his neck within playful roughhousing. "O-Ow, oh my _God_ , stop! _Stop_ , Clubber, geez! I-I . . . _ouch!_ This doesn't mean that I have a _clue_ what you want us to do now, M-Miss Crossnic, but a-at _least_ now . . . now it sounds like I'll be a part of something w-which'll _actively_ be pushing toward a much cooler existence for us mutants, instead of just sittin' and waitin' on it the way that my _family's_ basically told me to do."

" _Yeah!_ So, what's on the agenda then, Boss Lady? E-Er, um, you know . . . 'Boss Lady Miss Crossnic,' maybe? I-I dunno, we'll work on it," Uriah spoke absently as he wondered aloud about apparent titles he was now going to give toward his _clearly_ new favorite grownup.

Choosing to let his ramblings slide, not wishing to derail the overall train of success she'd managed to achieve, Nerissa looked toward the clock on the wall behind the trio, then smiled.

"Hmm . . . seeing as we've still a bit of time to spare, why not, for now, you boys tell me _more_ about Friday's accident – Or should I say, again, your _masterpiece_ – before we run down the plans we have in store for both mutant, _and_ human alike? O-Oh, yes . . . and about the name. . . . Why not, from now on, refer to me as . . . ' _Quintessence_.'"

* * *

Elyon was in the middle of changing out a few of her notebooks and textbooks for her next period class at her locker when she saw him.

_Caleb_ , surprisingly, was heading straight for her, with a tiny smile upon his face as he strategically weaved in between passersby on his way to greet her.

It was really only 'surprising' to her merely because, as far as she'd been aware, anyhow, Caleb's fifth period class was upstairs on the second floor, basically all the way on the other side of the building.

And seeing that Elyon's locker was also at the far end of the hallway of the first, she now figured that he'd have quite a bit of _running_ to do if he wanted to get to his math class on time.

Nonetheless, he didn't appear to mind, as Caleb kept right on heading her way, with the same, curious smile plastered across his face.

_O-Okay, Elyon. Relax. This is no big deal; after all, you'd had an entire phone conversation with him just yesterday all about your next date, for God's sake!_ Elyon mentally reminded herself as she slowly backed away from her open locker in order to properly welcome her growing crush.

"H-Hey, Caleb, good morning! I'm, uh, shocked to see you! Well, not _shocked_ , obviously! J-Just, you know, we usually only see each other mainly in Philosophy class," she stammered a bit before thankfully recovering, taking a deep breath to further steady herself as she cradled the purple binder clutched firmly within her hands.

Expecting him to carry on with about as much 'tact' as she presently possessed, as at the very least Caleb usually appeared to be every bit as flustered as she was whenever they were around each other lately, he cleared his throat before surprisingly raising a hand into the air in order to stop her.

"U-Uh, yeah, _sure_ , I know. I _was_ on my way to class, but then I just got to thinking that I couldn't honestly wait 'till _later_ to tell you this," Caleb remarked with sympathetic eyes, his tone of voice following suit as he then slightly tilted his head to the side before continuing. "I . . . _man_ , this is a lot harder than what I'd planned out in my head. . . . But I was just thinking about everything that's happened the last few days, you know, and . . . I just don't think that we should hang out anymore, Elyon."

". . . . W-What?" Elyon barely squeaked out, suddenly feeling as though she were about to _vomit_ as she struggled to prevent her legs from turning into complete jelly. "B-But I thought . . . I mean, weren't we planning on going to the movies this Friday, after you'd invited me to go over the phone yesterday? I-I . . . I was going to tell you that we really _could_ just see that superhero one, like you wanted. . . ."

Caleb raised both eyebrows at this, honestly appearing as though this was the first time he was receiving such news, before promptly recovering and heaved a dramatically flourished sigh.

". . . . _Y-Yeah_ , yeah, I remember that. But, see, it's like I said . . . after getting off the phone with you, and just _really_ looking back at everything, I just . . . came to the conclusion that all . . . _this_ is a lot more trouble than it's worth, sorry. _Maybe_ even bad luck," he stated with a saddened smile, his index finger pointing back and forth between Elyon and himself as he regrettably drove the point home even further. "I mean . . . I probably _should_ have just told you then over the phone to save us both some heartache, here, but . . . hindsight, I guess. I hope you understand, though."

Elyon couldn't think straight, as she felt her head slowly giving a limp sort of nod as her only response.

She honestly wanted to just run away and _hide_ , she was feeling that _humiliated_ , yet instead somehow forced herself to remain right where she was, in front of her first, and evidently _short lived_ infatuation.

"I-I . . . I-I -"

"- _Great_ , I'm glad to hear it! Well, I'd better get to class before I'm late, but, hey . . . _no_ hard feelings, all right?" Elyon just barely listened to Caleb declare as he cut her off, reaching out to gently pat her on the shoulder twice within a _painfully_ patronizing manner, before then casually walking past her as though nothing had even happened.

Elyon's vision quickly became incredibly blurry as she continued staring straight ahead where Caleb had been standing only moments before.

. . . . Did she just get _dumped?_

Was this how it was meant to feel like, as though her heart had _violently_ been ripped out and stomped on, without remorse?

Elyon just couldn't understand _any_ of it.

The only thing she knew to be certain was that, clearly, she really _had_ been reading too much into her growing interactions with Caleb, after all.

That, and also that she was the biggest _idiot_ in the world.

_Of course this happened . . . being around someone like me really is a lot more trouble than it's worth_ , Elyon thought morosely in between heavy sniffling, as she quickly closed up her locker and backpack, before rushing down the hallway within the opposite direction of her next class.

She'd never skipped a class before, and honestly did still feel a bit worried about the impending consequences later on; however, there was simply _no_ way that she'd be able to focus on much of anything right now, especially not her Biology lesson.

Ducking into the nearby, thankfully empty girls' bathroom, Elyon practically threw herself into the closest stall she could reach, locked the door, and proceeded to have herself a good cry. . . .

* * *

". . . . D-Did you get it all?"

" _Oh_ , yeah, a-and _then_ some!"

Both Courtney and Bess nearly passed _out_ , they were laughing so hard.

Granted, they'd now be a bit late getting to their shared lunch period, but it was _so_ worth it.

At least, in particular, for Courtney.

She didn't think she'd ever been so _thankful_ to have Bess as her sister right about now, nor even Miranda as her friend!

After all, if it hadn't been for Bess's _great_ idea to play a brilliant prank on Elyon by hitting her where it mattered, coupled with Miranda's _truly_ impressive shapeshifting abilities to add to the mix, then Courtney wouldn't presently be meticulously saving the now precious video footage she'd captured of Elyon having her stupid little heart broken. . . .

"So! Was I _good_ , or what?" both twins nearly jumped out of their skin upon suddenly hearing Miranda's familiar voice quietly breathe from behind, nearly causing Courtney to drop her cell phone as a result.

"O-Oh, God! Don't _do_ that!" she squealed, quickly clenching her phone to her chest within protection before both redheads whirled around to face the now giggling Miranda. "We thought that we'd just meet you in front of the cafeteria, as planned."

Miranda merely shrugged in between continued laughter, before moving around the identical duo in order to gently prop herself against the string of lockers they were each standing next to.

"Sure, but I didn't want to miss out on the fresh reactions of my _adoring_ audience! So? What do you think of my powers _now_ , ladies? Didn't I say that I could be anything, or _anyone?_ Admittedly, it's taken a bit of practice to get the hang of – Especially mimicking even the person's vocal patterns, but _voilà!_ Better watch out, or else _you_ two could be next, never know!"

Bess couldn't help but give a slight shiver of concern at this, momentarily wondering if she hadn't just created a monster, as up until now, neither sister really _had_ been aware of Miranda's mutant advancement.

As delicious as it had been to watch Elyon's complete misfortune unfold like that, there was _no_ way that Bess ever wanted that to happen to _her_ with any of her own crushes or boyfriends, past _or_ present.

_Note to self: Be even more ridiculously nice to Miranda from now on_ , she mused with a weak smile toward the girl in question, before tuning into Courtney's own chorus of laughter suddenly ringing within the air.

"You were _amazing_ , thanks, Miranda! Ohhh, my gosh! Did you see her _face?_ Well, duh, _course_ you did! But, wow! It was absolutely _beautiful!_ " she gushed as she complimented her grinning friend before her. "I'm just so glad you were able to hold her focus so that she never even _noticed_ us hiding behind Bess's locker, so that I could record the entire thing! I mean, the audio will probably be a bit strained, mostly thanks to the crowded hall, but even if it is, _ugh!_ Just being able to have her humiliation _immortalized_ on a loop now is like, _the_ best thing, seriously!"

" _Yikes_. And I thought that _I_ could be cold, sometimes," Miranda smirked within ongoing amusement, honestly feeling a sense of increased respect toward her friend's surprising set of fangs, and general cruelty. "But, yeah. I told you guys that it really _is_ mind warping! I'd like to see you get someone like _Uriah_ do something that cunning, and -"

"- _Hellooo_ , ladies! Did I hear my name being mentioned just now?" Miranda looked over both Bess and Courtney's shoulders in time to see the boy in question approaching with perfect timing.

Courtney couldn't help but openly groan as she turned her head to look at the annoying, unfortunately fellow redhead.

" _Ugh_ . . . with _those_ ears, I really wouldn't be surprised," she remarked harshly with a roll of her eyes, blindly stuffing her now turned off cell phone into the pocket of her skinny jeans before folding her arms across her chest.

Uriah glowered deeply at the habitually bitchy cheerleader a moment and scoffed, before appearing to calm down as he then slowly began to smile, almost _triumphantly_ toward all three girls.

"Y'know, you _really_ ought to give me a bit more respect than that, Courtney – _A lot,_ in fact! Because I just got the promotion of a _lifetime_ ," he declared, a bit mysteriously, the smirk upon his acne riddled face growing as he continued. "Yep! Finally, all my . . . particular _talents_ and creativity have been properly recognized! So maybe, _just_ maybe, I might consider letting you in on it, as well, but _only_ if you're a lot nicer!"

Bess couldn't stop herself from breaking out into a fit of laughter at this, choosing to ignore the troublemaker from that point on as she finished up collecting her belongings within her still opened locker, while Courtney voiced what both twins were clearly thinking.

"R-Right, _sure_ , Uriah, except the only sort of 'recognition' _you'll_ ever get regarding what you do is from a _police officer_ one of these days," she remarked in between her shared tittering with her sister, before then turning her attention onto a curiously mute Miranda. " _A-Anyway_ , you coming, Miranda? We can talk some more about our previous conversation in the cafeteria."

"Uh . . . yeah, I'll just meet you two there," she replied softly, straightening up her posture and putting her small hands together in front of her as she shifted her attention away from her two, already retreating friends, and onto the obnoxiously arrogant boy still standing in front of her.

Uriah's face became tremendously flushed as his green eyes suddenly met with Miranda's own, who then flashed him the shyest, honestly most _adorable_ smile he'd ever seen.

The two shared study hall together, and if he wasn't too busy skipping that pointless period altogether, Uriah would observe how pretty reserved Miranda generally was.

They never really spoke together much ever since she'd moved back to Bayville, but whenever they would, Uriah had to admit that those conversations weren't all that bad.

Pretty . . . enjoyable, in fact.

At least, on his end, anyway.

Even to the point that he could privately admit that the shy girl was rather _easy_ on the eyes.

_Certainly_ far more attractive than those two, identical _nightmares_ , anyway.

How any guy in that school could have not only found Bess and Courtney Grumper _hot_ , but hot enough to want to ask them out was _beyond_ him, especially since meanwhile much nicer, far _smarter_ girls like Miranda remained perpetually single.

Go figure.

". . . . What did you mean by receiving a 'promotion' before, Uriah?" Uriah honestly had to lean in a bit closer in order to listen to even a _single_ word of what Miranda had just uttered, even with the hallway having now been mostly cleared out where they were.

Whenever he'd see her around, she was usually off by herself, looking _terribly_ out of place and as though she wanted to be anywhere else.

And, as a result, Uriah honestly had to actively remind himself that she, too, was an apparent mutant much like himself, Miranda was just generally _that_ unremarkable, otherwise.

Heck, even her _voice_ would convey the lack of confidence she so clearly didn't possess within surplus . . . probably because _Courtney_ and _Bess_ both siphoned it all away for themselves any time Miranda would choose to hang out with them, for _whatever_ reason.

"Oh, u-uh . . . nothin' much, really. Well, it _is_ , actually, like a _super_ big deal, with super big _plans_ on the horizon for 'people like us,' but, ah . . . I don't really think it's something _you'd_ be interested in," Uriah shrugged as casually as he could with a light, sympathetic smile of dismissal . . . before Miranda _completely_ caught him off guard and caused a tiny flutter of butterflies to form within his stomach, as she then moved closer to him and slowly wrapped both hands around his left arm.

". . . . Oh, really? I think that it could be something I'd be _very_ interested in," she murmured, almost _purred_ out, Uriah could have sworn, as she gazed up at him with yet another tremendously sweet smile, before beginning to lead him down the hallway toward the cafeteria area.

Even though this was now the completely opposite direction, _and_ floor of his next period class, Uriah honestly didn't care much at that moment.

He hadn't even been an official member of Miss Crossnic, or ' _Quintessence's_ ' Collective for no more than two hours, now, and _already_ he was receiving far more attention from the ladies, alone, than he'd admittedly _ever_ had before!

Oh, yeah.

Things were _definitely_ looking up.

****\- End of Chapter Ten** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Planned to go even further within everyone's school day, but then looked down and saw it was approaching twenty pages.
> 
> ….And how come people don't like oatmeal? Like, all the time, growing up, I'd always hear my friends go on and on about how gross it is, even now. Maybe the way they make it, I guess, I dunno, cuz my mom taught my siblings and I how to make it taste super scrummy-yummy. =p
> 
> Random thought, I know, but I was just remembering when Cornelia complained about it at the beginning of this chapter, and it made me remember all this.
> 
> IF YOU DON'T LIKE OATMEAL, THERE'S SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH YOU! …..Not really. LoL
> 
> Was honestly going to go a slightly, slightly different route with Nerissa and what HER active/actual powers are, seeing as I didn't really want the main contenders in this story to just basically all have the same abilities...even though they basically do, canonically. :p
> 
> But then I just said eff it, kinda, and still had her declare her abilities to be Electrokinetic, like Will, except with the added bonus of obviously being FAR more advanced within control and all that than she. So at least, in that way, she gets to kinda/sorta use some of her Quintessence abilities later on...although probably not a WHOLE bunch, to be honest, as it'd really just make the whole future fight a bit unfair, and also interfere some with my main plot's agenda.
> 
> Sooo...sorry if any of you are huge Nerissa fans? =)
> 
> At least she was still arrogant enough to now refer to herself as 'Quintessence,' more so for its definition of being so exemplary, blah blah.
> 
> Uhhh...honestly a lot happened, sorta, so I can't really readily remember anything else I might have wished to point out, coupled with general, ongoing distractions from the 'Tornado Babies,' unfortunately, soooooo...yeah!
> 
> Just hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hopefully Chapter Eleven will be out shortly, as well! Fingers crossed this steam keeps on a'truckin'! =)


	13. Chapter Eleven

While normally she hadn't any real issue with her fifth period gym class (especially considering that it was her final period at _Bayville High School,_ before then she'd then conclude her daily scholastic routine back over at the institute), today Cornelia was _really_ wishing she had chosen to stay in bed.

She was, after all, still ill with a cold, and Elyon _had_ suggested that Cornelia remain on bed rest, just to be safe.

And although she really was still feeling a tad drained, Cornelia had prided herself on possessing a stellar record where her lack of absenteeism was concerned, and so, in good conscious, could not have brought herself to follow through.

Now, however, finding herself face to face with her private rival for Elyon's affections, Cornelia desperately fought off the urge to inflict untold _violence_ upon the poor schmuck. . . .

She honestly would have been fine, or fine enough, anyway, as the pair obviously regularly shared their gym class together every other day of the week, anyhow.

This was nothing new.

What _was_ new, however, was the fact that Cornelia had to literally grin and bear listening to Elyon go on, and on, and _on_ about her surprising telephone conversation with Caleb yesterday, and how he had evidently asked her out on yet _another_ date. . . .

To be fair, Cornelia _generally_ didn't really enjoy listening to repeated gossip from her other friends and housemates, as it was, so her lack of inner enthusiasm was to be expected.

However, she already had to listen to Elyon carry on about it yesterday morning, then again later on that afternoon . . . and then randomly, right in the middle of dinner.

Oh, and once more right before bedtime.

So, considering all of that, with the added bonus that it just _had_ to be about her secret crush's second date with a guy who was _so_ completely wrong for her, and it was all Cornelia could have done to stop herself from jumping off of the shuttle bus during that morning ride to _Bayville_.

No, instead, Cornelia had done what she normally did regarding Elyon's newfound feelings toward the undeserving Caleb: remained supportive, then sprinkled in a few comments to further convey general interest, before doing her best to casually change the subject.

There was nothing she could do about it, after all . . . well, short of somehow secretly _chloroforming_ Caleb, before then shipping him off to _Abu Dhabi_ , anyway. . . .

All Cornelia knew for sure was that she couldn't _stand_ this incredibly jealous side of herself, as it made her both think and feel all sorts of ways she never even believed that she could.

Still, at least it was mostly thoughts and feelings for now, something she could, and did continue to reign in as best she could.

God forbid she _ever_ have another mishap of the same height as the earthquake she'd briefly created last week . . . and _that_ hadn't even been about her general dislike toward Caleb, to boot.

_Crazy to think that that had been over my . . . I guess, sort of my now former tension with Irma, as we're now not only roommates, but soon-to-be teammates as upcoming X-Men. It all feels like a lifetime ago, almost_ , Cornelia couldn't help but muse, casually smoothing down the white colored t-shirt of her school issued gym uniform, as she continued making her way toward the open bleachers in order to take a seat and wait to hear what today's latest activity was going to be. _Hard to believe that all it had taken was nearly destroying this school before she and I would finally get along. Now, if only the same could be said for Caleb and I . . . although I suspect that it would take a whole lot more than that, twice over. . . ._

"All right, good morning, class! So, last week we'd just concluded our circuit training which, I'm sure, a lot of you are secretly thrilled about," Cornelia listened in time to hear her teacher, Miss Murphy, begin as the last few students trickled into the large gymnasium, "so _this_ week, we'll be starting our badminton tournament! And because I'm so nice and you all adore me, I'll let you guys pick your teammates this time around!"

True, honestly no one really enjoyed doing circuit training, an event which usually resulted within a great deal of 'convenient' absenteeism.

It was _also_ true that, by comparison, a good chunk of Miss Murphy's students conversely _did_ enjoy playing badminton (or volleyball, or _especially_ dodge ball, Cornelia had noticed over time), mostly because none of them ever really took it too seriously.

Despite it being referred to as a 'tournament,' It was largely used as a time to kick back, catch up with friends and, at least, _try_ to successfully hit the birdie.

Strong emphasis on 'try,' as majority of the students within Cornelia's particular gym class were rather _lazy_ , despite several being active members of varying sports teams. . . .

Regardless, today's period was thankfully going to be a leisurely one, overall, something which Cornelia, _and_ her rather congested head _greatly_ appreciated.

"Hey, hot stuff! Wanna pair up?" Cornelia turned her now mildly throbbing head toward her left in time to witness Tabitha sauntering over with one of her usual, amused smirks spread across her face.

Cornelia admittedly used to wonder if the fellow blonde was secretly on any sort of illegal substances when they'd first met, Tabitha was just always _that_ much 'entertained' by nothing in particular.

But then, she supposed the same could be said about _Irma_ , after all, as she, too, somehow could always find the humor from out of the most mundane activities, and have the time of her life as a result.

No, barring Cornelia's previous ignorance, that was just the way both girls appeared to be by default, and considering that Tabitha in particular preferred living more on the _wild side_ , it was a personality trait which certainly boded well for her specific . . . explosive mutant abilities, to be sure.

"O-Oh, hey, Tabitha, good morning. S . . . S . . . _Achoo!_ U-Ugh, _God_ , did that really hurt, sorry. . . . _Sure_ , as I was trying to say," Cornelia responded weakly with a grimace, reaching up to gingerly clutch at both sides of her now pounding head as her overall congestion regrettably carried on.

Tabitha briefly pouted within sympathy, before politely handing hew new partner one of the badminton rackets which had just been wheeled out onto the floor.

"A-Aw! Poor Sprout, bless you! That was a pretty _wicked_ sneeze, there, though. Ya sure you should have come to school with an apparently _gnarly_ cold?" she asked within genuine concern . . . although the small, but growing simper of resumed amusement spreading across her face was one both blondes were fully aware was due more toward the fact that Cornelia was never an honest fan of the unfortunate nickname Tabitha _insisted_ upon calling her, more often than not.

To be fair, Tabitha had given pretty much _everyone_ she knew random nicknames here and there over the years, especially during her brief tenure at _Kandrakar's School for Gifted Youngsters_.

According to her, it was an act mainly reserved for those she truly liked "and actually gave a damn about."

And although Cornelia had long ago pointed out that Tabitha also bestowed different names to people she _didn't_ appear fond of, as well, thus contradicting herself, it was a habit which nonetheless stuck.

Still, despite having grown used to the name, however begrudgingly, Cornelia still didn't understand why _her_ given nickname had to be one which sounded so . . . _pitiful_ , something she was quite certain Tabitha had done on purpose.

" _Hey, I think it suits you, given your particular brand of powers! Besides, if you don't like it, I could always call you something else like, I dunno, 'Broccoli' or something, instead!"_ was the halfhearted explanation she had given at the time, before Cornelia had simply given up trying to further negotiate.

"Mm . . . thanks, Tabitha. And yeah, it's definitely shaping out to be a pretty _stubborn_ cold, but I think I'll manage in the end," Cornelia replied with a nod, gently taking the racket from out of Tabitha's hand after climbing down from off of the bleachers, at the same time that the other girl suddenly began to chuckle.

"Well, _that's_ certainly true, isn't it? If there's one thing I've learned about you over time, Sprout, it's that you are one 'take charge' kinda babe! I'm not honestly surprised that you'd come to school, even though you're _basically_ on your deathbed right now," she remarked with another laugh, leaning in to playfully wrap a free arm around Cornelia's neck and quickly interrupted her obvious objection by adding, "Oh, don't _worry_ so much about it, will ya? _Trust_ me . . . I _like_ that about you."

Cornelia suddenly found her mind drawing a complete blank, as she honestly wasn't sure whether or not she was within some sort of warped dimension, as it now appeared as though Tabitha was unexpectedly _flirting_ with her.

It wasn't even really the flirting part which surprised her, as Tabitha was, by nature, rather flirtatious, _anyhow_ , coupled with the fact that she was also openly bisexual.

It was the fact that she never before appeared to express much interest within Cornelia beyond that of mutual acquaintanceship back when they were still housemates, before then eventually growing to become official, casual friends later on.

She was, quite frankly, not honestly Tabitha's type.

Or, so she had previously believed, anyhow.

Moreover, Cornelia's own sexuality had never really been broadcast, either, so it was admittedly both alarming, as well as interesting to her that Tabitha had suddenly appeared to pick up on the vibes Cornelia didn't honestly before realize she'd even been putting out.

. . . . Maybe she really _was_ growing rather sloppy with her habitually maintained subterfuge regarding her overall friendship with Elyon, after all.

As Cornelia was about to muster up some form of response, especially considering the ongoing, knowing sort of stare Tabitha was presently bestowing onto her in between purposefully fluttering her long eyelashes as she did so, she was _thankfully_ saved by Miss Murphy's default friendly sounding voice.

"Everyone paired up? Got your rackets? Okay, here we go! This side of the court stays put, while the other side will rotate until each team has been played against!" the young woman stated with a nod of her brown colored head, a clipboard now within her small hands. "As usual, I'll be jotting down the names of said teams, and keep track of all the wins and losses. Let's see if we can't get a _really_ heated match from some of you this time, eh?"

As Cornelia managed to slip free from Tabitha's purposefully lingering hold, leading the way toward the nearest badminton net on the non-rotating side of the court, she regrettably looked across the opposing side in time to witness _Caleb_ curiously heading straight toward her. . . .

". . . . Oh, God. What fresh hell is _this_ , now?" she groaned underneath her breath as she did her best to appear neutral toward the tall brunet's sudden approach.

Next to him was his apparent friend, Eric Lyndon, someone who was honestly the _complete_ opposite of Caleb in every way - Within Cornelia's opinion, at least.

She didn't really know much about Eric, in truth, as she only shared that specific period with him, and the two had only shared a few handfuls of previous conversations together, as a result; still, she did at least know that she liked him _far_ greater than she ever would _Caleb_ , to be certain.

But then, _Eric_ wasn't the one presently going after her best friend, naturally.

Actually, the more Cornelia thought about it, if Eric had ever suddenly grown an interest within any of her friends in general, she could definitely see herself getting behind a 'shipping,' as her peers would say, between _Hay Lin_ and himself, seeing as Eric was almost like a male version of her.

At least, based upon the limited knowledge and observation she'd gathered about him thus far, anyhow.

She had to remember to ask Hay Lin if she'd ever met Eric before, herself, and if so, what she thought of him.

But _first_ , Cornelia had to _somehow_ deal with whatever it was Caleb apparently wanted from her, if he was making an active point to infrequently interact with her, directly. . . .

". . . . H-Hey, Cornelia, Tabitha. Wanna play against us first?" Caleb asked with a light, friendly smile, and . . . was that . . . yes, it was.

A curious splash of _red_ began creeping up his traditionally tan neck, before settling onto both of his cheeks as he continued to stand in front of both girls.

Was he . . . _embarrassed?_

What the hell _for?_

It certainly wasn't as though the two blondes in _front_ of him were the ones he'd been woefully sniffing around this entire time, after all, so. . . .

"O-Oh, and also, uh . . . Cornelia, if you wouldn't mind, could you give this to _Elyon_ whenever you see her next, please? Thanks," Caleb asked quietly as he leaned in close to Cornelia so that an admittedly nosy Tabitha couldn't eavesdrop, before carefully placing a neatly folded up piece of notebook paper with Elyon's name written upon it into Cornelia's hand.

"Good luck, you guys! Although, Tabitha, you still owe me a _rematch_ from the last time we played basketball against one another in the park two weeks ago!" Eric stated cheerfully with a nod, chuckling as he watched Tabitha blindly tuck a few strands of her bob length hair behind her multiply pierced right ear and playfully winked.

"Hey, what can I say, 'Ric? I just have a natural talent for getting certain round objects where they need to go," she remarked mysteriously with a shrug, then flashed a broad smirk toward Cornelia, knowing that she'd naturally understand the hidden meaning, by comparison.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at this, in addition to possibly _vomiting_ toward the sight of what was most likely an honest _love_ letter sickeningly resting within her open palm, Cornelia could only offer up a stiff nod within acknowledgment toward a sheepishly smiling Caleb.

Absolutely _horrendous_.

_Great. Now I'm seriously meant to be playing a direct hand within this jerk's ongoing . . . whatever you wanna call this, with Elyon? Right. Because that's so totally what I wanted to wake up to this morning, on top of an increasingly annoying cold,_ Cornelia grimaced inwardly, blindly placing, honestly _jamming_ Caleb's note into the left side pocket of her blue colored gym shorts.

"Let's _play!_ " she suddenly heard herself practically growling out before she could stop herself, as she basically _stomped_ over toward where Tabitha was now waiting patiently for her teammate.

"W-Whoa . . . _rage_ , much?" Tabitha murmured to herself with a confused smile, before gently handing over the birdie to a now deeply frowning Cornelia. "Here. Wanna serve, instead? Might help release _whatever's_ suddenly gotten your panties all in a twist, Sprout."

" _No_ , I don't wan – ! Wait . . . actually, yes, I _do_ , Tabitha. Thanks," Cornelia initially snapped, before retrieving the birdie from out of the other blonde's hand with an eerie sort of calm, as though an unknown revelation had suddenly settled onto her.

_If you can't beat 'em . . . decimate 'em_ , she thought momentarily, the naturally competitive streak within her rearing its ugly head as it effortlessly awakened to the surface just then, her blue eyes nearly boring a hole straight into Caleb's unsuspecting head before gearing up to deliver the first serve.

Within the next seven minutes, the allotted time per match as indicated by Miss Murphy, both Tabitha and Eric unexpectedly found themselves trapped within a battle for the _ages_ , as they could only watch and, _minutely_ , in all honesty, support their respective teammates from time to time as both continually duked it out . . . for _whatever_ the reason.

At first, Caleb, and indeed Eric and Tabitha merely thought that Cornelia was simply having a bit of fun, actually bringing her A-Game to what both sides had originally assumed to be every bit as leisurely as majority of the other competing teams had made their own matches.

However, considering how many times Cornelia had nearly taken off the brunet's head within just the first minute or so after each resulting serve, all bets were _completely_ off as suddenly Caleb, too, found himself meeting the tall blonde straight on, rather unflinchingly.

Back and forth the helpless birdie went, nearing speeds the _other_ airborne projectiles would thankfully never experience by comparison, as the honest one on one match between Cornelia and Caleb carried on, with the score somehow remaining remarkably _tied_.

Now, with only one minute left to go, Cornelia was absolutely _determined_ not to lose . . . and sadly, based upon his _incredibly_ serious facial expression, so, too, was Caleb.

But, this was _Cornelia_.

If she could handle intense training sessions within the Danger Room on a weekly basis, in addition to having just helped save _hundreds_ of people from impending doom that past Friday, she was pretty certain winning a simple game of badminton was _far_ beyond doable. . . .

As Cornelia served for that final time, letting out a loud, honestly unflattering grunt within the process, she felt positively confident that it'd be a guaranteed _miss_ for the other side, given that she'd made a strategic point to suddenly serve it within the direction of _Eric_ , who'd honestly been on standby for much of the match.

Caleb, however, appeared to be having _none_ of that, as Cornelia surprisingly watched as he quickly lunged in front of his teammate, intending wholeheartedly to set up the return, himself.

_Oh, no you don't!_ Cornelia thought with a deep glower, suddenly finding herself quickly 'influencing' Caleb's racket via her Geokinetic abilities before she could stop herself.

" _W-Whoa!_ " Caleb cried out within understandable alarm as his racket abruptly jerked itself toward the opposite direction of where he'd originally placed it, causing him to then _effortlessly_ miss the birdie altogether and allowing it to land onto the ground, unopposed.

Successfully securing the winning point of the game, both Cornelia and Tabitha let out excited cheers of triumph as Cornelia allowed Tabitha to eagerly envelop her within an elated embrace, at the same time that Caleb uncontrollably fell onto the ground due to his suddenly redirected momentum.

"H-Hey! You _okay_ , man?" Cornelia could hear Eric call out within natural concern, before rushing over to help an understandably befuddled Caleb back onto his feet.

"I-I, uh . . . yeah. Yeah, I _think_ so, thanks, Eric," he replied in between heavy breaths, wiping away the beads of sweat which had previously accumulated above his thick brow during the previously heated match. "It was just the _weirdest_ thing, though. I _had_ that last serve, you saw me, but . . . I dunno. Suddenly, it was like my racket had a mind of its _own_ or something, because the next thing I knew it felt like it was _pulling_ me the other way before I could do anything. . . ."

"Mmm, yeah . . . how ' _bout_ that, right Cornelia? Sucks, though! Still, it was a pretty kick ass game, _especially_ since me and 'Ric didn't even really need to do much!" Tabitha declared with a mischievous grin upon releasing the now blushing Cornelia, eavesdropping on the boys' conversation as both girls made their way toward the net in order to shake hands with them.

Eric let out an amused chuckle at this, and nodded.

"Yeah, totally! What was _up_ with that, anyway? It was almost like I was watching an Olympic event, or something!" he teased with a playful jab into Caleb's side, who bit down onto his lip as an honestly suspicious sort of frown toward Cornelia lightly formed onto his face. "But, hey! _Either_ way, awesome game, you two!"

". . . . R-Right. Good game, and . . . good final serve, Cornelia," Caleb slowly stated, his mind clearly still engrossed within the previous mischance, as he nonetheless extended his hand out toward Cornelia in order to display good sportsmanship.

Seeing this, Cornelia rapidly found herself feeling all the more guilt ridden, as she'd once _again_ allowed her emotions to cloud her overall better judgment.

It was a stupid _game_ , for God's sake!

And yet, instead of simply reminding herself of this that entire time, she not only allowed her competitive side to get the better of her, but she'd also utilized the admittedly lesser practiced side of her Geokinesis, by consciously manipulating the metal within Caleb's badminton racket!

Frankly, Cornelia was rather surprised it had even worked, as that part of her mutant abilities had always been weaker, as it was regrettably a bit of a private challenge for her to habitually manage as effortlessly as her main gifts.

It was pretty frustrating to her, to tell the truth, as she didn't like possessing _any_ personal shortcomings if she could help it, after all, and so Cornelia would regularly find herself more so focusing upon further strengthening her Geokinesis, versus what Professor Starlighter had informed her was referred to as 'Ferrokinesis,' after upon having first manifested the advanced ability about a year ago.

Still, if it was so 'advanced,' then Cornelia would think that she'd be a bit better at it than she presently was.

Regardless, at the very least, she was able to manage manipulating another person's racket at precisely the right moment . . . even if she now felt like honest _scum_ for having done so.

". . . . T-Thanks, Caleb. Uh . . . good game," Cornelia managed to muster within reply, quickly taking Caleb's outstretched hand and shook it, before hurriedly heading back to her original spot on the court as she waited for the rotating side of teams to shift over. " _God_ , do I really suck. . . ."

"Nah, _I_ don't think so, babe!" Cornelia nearly jumped as she suddenly listened to Tabitha disagree from behind, before moving around to stand in front of her. "No, I'm serious! It's nice to know that you can _really_ cut loose every now and again when you want to! First that _earthquake_ last week, and now this! _Man!_ All this _really_ makes me see you in a whole new light. . . ."

Cornelia blinked within surprise, her cheeks growing hot all over again as she quickly did her best to feign ignorance.

Obviously suspecting that she had used her Ferrokinetic abilities upon Caleb's badminton racket was _one_ thing, but the earthquake?

As far as she was still aware, no one of the mutant variety had yet to settle upon a conclusive suspect for it, and had more or less moved on from generally wondering about it, anyhow.

There was the _latest_ event of what had occurred during Karmilla's frighteningly derailed rock concert that past weekend to now preoccupy their minds, after all.

Still.

Had Tabitha been somewhere within the halls that day to see it happen?

It wasn't as though that would have been that much of a stretch to believe, as the hallway hadn't been entirely cleared out at the time.

Well, _whatever_ ended up being the case, Cornelia was simply going to continue playing dumb, on both accounts.

"I-I . . . I have no idea what you're talking about, Tabitha!" she replied with a light frown and turn of her head away from the now giggling Tabitha, who then gently rested a hand onto her shoulder.

"Hmm . . . _sure_ you don't, Sprout. But, hey, no worries. I always enjoyed a good challenge," she cooed with another grin and knowing, _heavily_ coquettish stare, blue eyes twinkling as she made her way back to her own spot on the court by Cornelia's side.

Of all the things Cornelia had expected to experience that Monday, even _including_ suffering through the giddy ramblings about Caleb Elyon was undoubtedly going to now bestow onto her _tenfold_ after receiving his note, suddenly catching the keen eye of Tabitha Smith was definitely _far_ off her list.

And as of right now, she couldn't really say if it was a _good_ thing.

Then again . . . if Cornelia actually thought about it . . . she also couldn't really say that it was necessarily a _bad_ thing, either.

* * *

Now back within the institute, continuing on within her newfound, typical school day, Will was presently sat within her Sociology class which she thankfully shared with Taranee, alongside her _other_ new companions, Hay Lin, Cornelia, Irma, and even Elyon.

While not technically a boring class, it certainly was shaping out to be pretty complex thus far which, as their instructor, Doctor Chacon had pointed out, was of little surprise, given its overall focus.

Still, it was pretty neat, as well as _useful_ that Will could share such a class with the group of girls who were now not only her future teammates as X-Men, but were now each considered actual friends.

Friends.

It _still_ felt pretty weird to believe that, let alone think it.

But after everything they'd all experienced during that past weekend, alone, Will felt rather confident for a change that her growing relationship with the others wouldn't be anywhere near what had been the case back home. . . .

Will lightly smiled to herself as her mind couldn't resist momentarily drifting back to that Saturday night, and how much fun both she and Taranee had had during their renewed slumber party, especially once Will had this time also invited Hay Lin to join them.

She originally had done so in order to help alleviate at least a bit of the smaller girl's natural concern for Irma, who had still remained within the infirmary at the time; however, as it'd turned out, it was a pretty smart move on Will's part, as Hay Lin was somehow even _more_ fun to be around during a sleepover than she admittedly already was on a normal basis.

Will was quickly beginning to see why she was Irma's closest companion, to be sure.

And not only did she end up learning quite a bit about both Hay Lin and Taranee that night, but Will had also observed firsthand just how talented Hay Lin truly was within art, as she'd already begun drafting up various designs to the girls' upcoming X-Men uniforms.

" _I just couldn't resist and wait until the morning, I hope you don't mind, Will! But the inspiration just keeps flowing through me!"_ Hay Lin had excitedly explained as both Taranee and Will had watched over her shoulder within absolute awe over how well, and how _quickly_ she could draw.

It honestly reminded Will of Elyon's _own_ artistic talents, bringing her back to the day they had met for the first time.

She'd had to remember to ask Hay Lin if she couldn't _also_ somehow see the future through her drawings, or _whatever_ that had been when Elyon had eerily sketched out Will's impending arrival into the pool area, mere moments before having even done so upon that fateful day.

Quickly shaking her head, forcing herself to resume paying attention to Doctor Chacon's ongoing lecture, Will looked back toward the chalkboard in order to continue writing down the various notes the older woman had been presenting.

". . . . and so, seeing as this particular unit's topic is on social institutions, we're gonna try out a few exercises relating to this, before I assign you the project which will be due within a few weeks, all right?" Will tuned in in time to listen to her instructor conclude, watching her carefully dust off her hands free from chalk before clearing her throat. "All right! So, first things first! I'm gonna need you all to stand up – With your notebooks and pens or pencils – and head on to the back of the classroom, toward the activity tables, okay?"

As this was only her second week within that particular class, this would be the first time Will actively participated within any of the apparently frequent group activities and discussions both Irma and Hay Lin had previously informed her which took place.

So she was honestly wondering what Doctor Chacon presently had planned, in addition to if Will would be lucky enough to be placed within the same group as at least one of her newfound friends.

"'Kay, nice, nice! Um, okay! So, since there are eighteen of you in my class, we're gonna break off into _three_ groups, today, consisting of six people. I need all the guys already _conveniently_ clumped together on this side to sit right here, thank _youuu_ . . . then you _lovely_ ladies can just plop yourselves at this table over yonder, and then, lastly, our mixed bag of guys _and_ gals can sit over there! Great! And – Oh, wait. _Shoot_. We'll be down one person today, won't we, since Elyon is absent? Hmm . . . well, it's all right. You five can still discuss everything just fine once we get underway!

". . . . Good, good. All nice and settled down? So, the first discussion we're going to have is going to be about _marriage_ , mhmm, and each group will make a list of ten characteristics which describes the ideal marital partner. Order it from most to least important, all right? And once you've finished this you'll share it with the class, before we'll _all_ then decide which groups had the easiest time agreeing on what was decided, and which groups had it the hardest. _Then_ – I know, it keeps going – we'll also identify any _key_ differences or similarities within the characteristics and rankings from each group . . . and then _lastly_ , we will discuss which types of social influences, or factors might play a part _within_ said similarities and differences. . . . . _Phew!_ Mouthful! But, all right! Everyone understand what to do? I'll pass out this sheet which outlines literally everything I'd just explained, which you can then take your time looking over as you get down to work!"

". . . . _Blug_. I'd decided not to stay within the infirmary another day for _this?_ I'm not trying to think about _marriage_ , of all things right now. I'm too busy being single, and ready to mingle for God's sake," Irma quietly groaned, swiping down a palm against her face upon having carefully set down the pair of crutches she'd been issued against the empty chair at her side.

Although thankfully already about sixty or so percent of the way healed, according to Doctor Chacon earlier that morning, the woman had still wisely urged Irma to take it slowly as much as she could.

Irma was also in between dosages, and so was presently coming down from the cloud of _euphoria_ she'd previously been drifting upon since earlier on that morning, hence the mild crankiness which was clearly beginning to settle in within its place.

Still, the extra attention and flood of ample concern from a good chunk of her schoolmates, both from _Bayville_ and around the institute hadn't hurt much, either, so Irma supposed she couldn't readily complain, overall.

"'Single?' What about _Andrew_ _Horrnssby?_ Didn't you say that he'd _profusely_ apologized for leaving you behind on Friday – _Especially_ after seeing that you'd evidently gotten injured as a result – and even asked if you wanted to grab a bite to eat after school today?" Hay Lin innocently asked, although still not without a teasing smile and gently tapping the tip of her pen against Irma's good leg, as the two friends now sat next to one another at their assigned table.

Irma lightly scoffed before rolling her eyes at this.

"Pfft! _Chyeah_ , he did, Hay Hay. Damn _right_ , he did, after all this . . . although, okay, _yeah_ , so in the end that was most honestly for the best that he'd headed for the hills. _Literally_. Still, asking me out again is the least he could do after everything, right? Just sucks I'm gonna have to shoot him a text later to reschedule, as I'm still _way_ too bushed to go anywhere at the moment. Once I've _fully_ healed up, though, he'd better watch out," Irma replied with a light frown at first at the memory, before it effortlessly melted away into one of mischievous amusement, clearly toward the thought of her upcoming second date with the popular senior.

". . . . Jesus, what is _with_ everyone lately and constant dates all of a sudden," Will overheard Cornelia suddenly pipe up at her left side, although she clearly had intended for it to be a private comment.

This was pretty much the first time that the tall blonde had said much of _anything_ since they'd each entered the classroom earlier on, her mind seeming to be elsewhere - And indeed, even now.

It appeared to be a steady occurrence for the apparently serious girl lately, Will was quickly beginning to observe, and thus already knew better than to push the issue upon having received no more than a halfhearted 'hello' at the start of that period.

Now that they were luckily paired off together, alongside their mutual companions, Will privately wondered if she shouldn't go ahead and take the chance to ask whatever was the matter, after all.

Appearing to sense her current train of thought, Taranee, sat upon the other side of Will, gently cleared her throat as she leaned forward a bit against the round table and asked, ". . . . Are you all right, Cornelia? I mean . . . I'm only asking because you just seem really distracted right now. Since _before_ the beginning of class, actually. . . . Did something happen?"

"Y-Yeah. Is your cold super bugging you today?" Hay Lin chimed in within similar concern, causing Cornelia to promptly snap her head up away from the instructions Doctor Chacon had just finished placing in front of each student.

" _W-What?_ O-Oh, uh . . . yeah. _Yes_ , I'm fine you guys, thanks," she murmured with a now _thoroughly_ congested voice, causing Irma to begin softly cackling as a result. Rolling her eyes heavenward, Cornelia then continued, now annoyed. "Okay, yes, _obviously_ , I'm still pretty sick, unfortunately. Ha _ha_ , Irma, yes. And yeah, I honestly wish I'd remembered to take some more _medicine_ after I'd gotten off the shuttle bus earlier, but I'll live. . . . It's just . . . I'm just worried about _Elyon_ , that's all. She was just _fine_ this morning on our way to 'Bayville', so now I'm wondering if I didn't get her sick after she'd spent yesterday looking after me, after all. . . ."

"Well, then . . . if you accidentally had, then at least she did the smart thing by choosing to go and rest, right?" Will weakly offered with a light smile, feeling overall relieved that someone else had broached the topic of discussion rather than herself.

"True that, Will. Although, I _do_ have to say that it's pretty uncharacteristic for Elyon to _willingly_ go down like that, especially for something as minor as a cold," Irma openly observed with a mild shrug, before casually leaning back against her seat as much as her carefully elevated, and injured leg would allow. "I mean, _you_ don't obviously know this, being new and all, but perfect attendance is like, a _super_ thing for both Elyon, _and_ our dear Cornikins, here. Unless threatened at _gunpoint_ , they both generally do their absolute best to make it to every class, _and_ even every D.R. session. ' _Insane,'_ is what I personally call such commitment, but meh! It's whatever."

Cornelia scowled deeply at this, before quickly then appearing to consciously calm herself down as she responded.

"There's _nothing_ wrong with wanting to possess an unblemished record, Irma. It shows that you take your responsibilities seriously, and can actually be _relied_ upon if need be further down the road," she countered within the same, heavily engorged voice, thus causing her admittedly valid point to fly straight out the window as Irma once again began to laugh joyously at her expense. "O-Oh! My _God_ , is it really _that_ hilarious to hear someone speak when they have a cold?"

"Nope! But whenever _you_ do right now? Why, yes, yes it is, _especially_ now knowing that it irritates you so," Irma replied in kind in between ongoing giggles, at the same time that Hay Lin gently nudged at her side in order to get her to calm down.

". . . . You two really _do_ go at it like cats and dogs," Will couldn't help but openly comment within observation, cheeks growing a bit red as all eyes then became trained onto her. ". . . . W-What? That's how Megan and Jubilee had both described Cornelia and Irma's overall relationship last week, when they were telling me about the random people who live here at the institute."

". . . . Might have to share a few choice _words_ with those two ladies later on, then . . . although, tch! _Who_ am I kidding? Up _until_ last week, they were absolutely right. Hell, they _still_ pretty much are, if right now is any indication," Irma initially muttered with a brief frown which mimicked Cornelia's, before promptly replacing it with a good-natured grin.

" _A-Anyhow!_ Mind if we officially get started on our assignment, before we trail too far behind everyone else?" Taranee suddenly asked, rather anxiously at that, as her naturally studious nature effortlessly crept to the surface. "Sorry, I just . . . I _really_ don't like being late with my schoolwork, that's all."

The remaining girls merely smiled at the now embarrassed looking Thermokinetic teenager, before freely allowing her to take the helm by volunteering to remind them all of their task.

After having finished reading the instructions aloud, Taranee then began to quickly jot down a few things into her notebook, before looking up at each girl and asked, "Okay, so . . . I guess we'll just go around the table and give our personal opinions on what makes an ideal marital partner, like the sheet says, and then . . . try to narrow it down to some of the best, down to the least, right? . . . . Who's first?"

"Well, _Hay Lin's_ definitely last, as the closest person _she's_ ever come close to dating is her own _shadow_ ," Irma playfully poked, causing the raven haired girl's cheeks to immediately grow inflamed as Irma quickly continued. "Oh, _relax_ , Hay Lin, relax! I'm not saying that to be _mean_ or whatever, you know that! I just mean that you've just honestly never before really shown much _interest_ within the dating scene, that's all. You've said as much, yourself, _many_ times. So, you know, unless you clearly have some sharing to do – Like, _pronto_ – I don't really think you've given much thought toward the subject of marriage any more than _I_ have, like I said."

"Y-Yeah, well . . . maybe things change," Hay Lin mysteriously murmured into her palm, which had been conveniently resting against her cheek, before then unintentionally activating her latest invisibility power without realizing.

" _H-Hey!_ Oh, no you don't! You don't get to _literally_ hide away from us like that, right in the middle of my having to kick your _ass_ because you've clearly met someone! Who _is_ he? A-And would you knock that off? 'No active use of mutant abilities during class hours, unless otherwise specified,' remember?" both Will, and even Taranee began quietly giggling at the ongoing display, listening to a blatantly frustrated Irma reprimand her best friend, who'd then managed to successfully reappear next to her a few moments later.

"O-Oh, gosh, sorry about that! I didn't do it on _purpose_ , Irma! You know that this new ability's still taking some getting used to, and _unfortunately_ seems to wanna trigger itself during times of . . . feeling flustered, I guess," Hay Lin apologized, both hands now covering her face within furthered abashment as she let out a heavy groan, clearly dreading her ongoing confession. "B-But, all _right_ , fine! Yes, okay? There _is_ . . . someone. Maybe. O-Or, well, like . . . maybe just the _idea_ of an idea of an _idea_ of someone, really, since presently, _he_ has no idea I even _exist._ W-Which, you know, also isn't really _that_ much of a surprise, either, considering any time I see him in the halls I _completely_ seize up, my stupid powers manifest themselves, and I turn _literally_ invisible, like right now. . . . O-Okay, well, _obviously_ my gifts aren't stupid, I know, but imagine if Eric and I ever ended up together one day and we're in the middle of m-making out? I'd honestly just _die_ , and -"

"- Wait a second. 'Eric,' as in Eric _Lyndon_ , Hay Lin? That's funny, because I was just thinking earlier how much the two of you are alike. . . . I say go for it, then; he's honestly pretty nice," Cornelia interrupted with a light shrug of mild intrigue, her focus continually splintered between paying attention to her present lesson, as well as doing her best not to lose her mind with worry over her curiously absent best friend. "Maybe you can channel that attraction into this assignment, as well – It might help give you better _control_ over your new ability, too, if you actually put down all the things you like about him."

Irma smirked toward Cornelia a moment, before immediately bestowing a disapproving frown onto a continually shamefaced Hay Lin.

"D'aww! _Good_ ol' Cornelia: Even when she couldn't really give a _crap_ about whatever we're talking about, she'll still find a way to inject some more of her 'Junior Professor' routine in there somewhere! And, _you!_ We're going to talk in _depth_ about you leaving me out in the cold like this later!" she initially cooed, before her voice grew playfully stern as she pointed an index finger toward the Aerokinetic girl sat beside her. " _Anyway!_ 'Till then, put a pin in all that, before Taranee somehow sets the table on _fire_ , thanks to the mounting frustration clearly etched upon her face right now. . . ."

" _W-What?_ You know that I don't have the ability to actually create fire, nor _want_ to and – O-Oh . . . that was a joke. Got it," it was Taranee's turn to blush profusely, the incredibly tense facial expression previously set plainly upon her face slowly evaporating as she then cleared her throat once more."B-But, anyhow . . . while I _was_ growing a little impatient, I'll admit that, sorry, at least it was still sort of on topic to our task at hand, though, right? Like Cornelia just pointed out, seeing as you have someone presently in mind, Hay Lin, it really _would_ make it a bit easier on you to list a few things you find important within your ideal match. Want to start?"

Hay Lin nearly jumped out of her seat.

"Wait, what? It's _one_ thing to finally share with you guys that I maybe-kinda-sorta like someone, it's _another_ to believe that I actually know what the hell to _do_ about it! Were you all not listening to the part where I said that 'Eric doesn't even know that I exist?'" she groaned, throwing both hands into the air for a bit of dramatic flair.

". . . . Right, maybe so, but the assignment still isn't about what the other person might think about you, or whether or not you have what they're looking for, Hay Lin; it's entirely the other way _around_ , hence Taranee suggesting that you go first," Will chimed in within rebuttal, a small, but growing smile of amusement forming onto her face.

While she generally wasn't one for butting into another person's love life, certainly not to tease them about it, Will found that she honestly couldn't resist for a change, as the general lax, welcoming atmosphere her new comrades continually presented was rather infectious. . . .

"Awww, really? You _too_ , now, Will? _Fine!_ W-Write this down, Taranee! Number one . . . um . . . no, no! Skip me, _skip_ me! I'm new to all this, all right? Why not ask _Irma? She's_ the most experienced of us here, dating wise! O-Or, no! No! Cornelia, _you_ go, you go! I mean, sure, Irma can snag a guy if the mood so strikes, it seems, but we've _both_ seen how many glances you get from _a lot_ of them back at 'Bayville,' as well as here, off and on. . . . Although, come to think of it, I don't think that I've ever really seen you go _out_ with any of them, at least not within recent years, anyway, and -"

"- Because you know how _picky_ Corny can be, Hay Lin, _that's_ why! Nothing new, moving on!" Irma mysteriously cut off her friend's habitual rambling with a dismissive wave of her hand, her overall demeanor and tone of voice coming off as _thoroughly_ uninterested, at the same time that Cornelia was keen enough to detect something . . . _extra_ glinting within her eyes.

It was honestly very similar to the look she'd given her during their unexpected heart-to-heart last week, the more Cornelia thought about it.

She'd made a point to brush it aside, thinking that she hopefully might have been _imagining_ things, but, now . . . Cornelia truly had to wonder: _Was_ Irma actually aware that Cornelia had romantic feelings for Elyon, after all?

Having _Irma_ know _,_ of all people, would be the last thing she'd need, on top of continually contending against the known fact that Elyon was currently crushing upon someone _else_.

As it was, Cornelia was still, quite literally, sitting on the note Caleb had written for Elyon, and waffling between doing the right thing by being the dutiful friend she'd always been and present it to her after class . . . _or_ to honor her _own_ feelings by simply tearing it to pieces. . . .

Who was she kidding?

Of _course_ she was going to end up giving it to Elyon, which would undoubtedly cheer her up and snap her _straight_ out of whatever illness she may have contracted, and Cornelia would simply have to just _go_ with it, like always.

Besides, it was pretty much safe to discern by now that any time Cornelia 'honored' her own emotions as of late, she was falling more and more back into the far less disciplined student she once was, _much_ to her continued chagrin . . .

"Write _this_ down, T! One: Sense of humor. Two: Loves music – _Definitely_ enjoying Karmilla certainly couldn't hurt much, either. Three: Loves food. Four: Isn't afraid to show his emotions, good _or_ bad, because we all know guys gotta _always_ be super macho and made of stone, ya know? Five: Wouldn't mind going shopping a few times with me, since that's yet _another_ thing we all know that's basically one of the worst things in the _world_ for a guy to do with his girlfriend, right?

"Six: Loves family. Seven: Has respect, both for himself, as _well_ as for others. Eight: Open-minded. And _no_ , I don't mean anything like _that_ , you pervs. I mean for general crap, like if I wanted to one day go khaking off Niagara _Falls_ , or something, or if I trusted him enough to let him know that I'm a mutant. Shit like that, whatever. Nine: Actually knows what personal hygiene is. Ten: Loyal, and treats me like the queen I am. _Boom!_ See? _Easy!_ Next?"

As Taranee obediently wrote down Irma's verbal list as quickly as she could, her nose nearly pressed up against the page of her notebook, she was crouched that close to it as she did so, Cornelia was the first to quietly comment.

". . . . Wait, so . . . you've placed some of the more important qualities toward the _bottom_ , rather than the top? A-And what was up with 'Eight?' You _do_ know that _you'd_ be the one with the direct advantage within that situation, not him, right? Never mind the fact that it's incredibly dangerous, as _well_ as asinine," she remarked with a raised eyebrow, before promptly turning her head away in order to sneeze into the left sleeve of her shirt.

". . . . Bless you. _And_ also that only approximately six or so individuals have survived going over Niagara Falls to date, as well. Of course, I'll have to double check my numbers, but I believe this to be the case," Taranee chimed in automatically, her eyes still cast downward as she finished up the last of Irma's admittedly curious list.

At this, Irma simply blew a loud raspberry toward both girls sat directly across from her.

" _Pfffffft!_ I'm not honestly _surprised_ you could randomly pull such a statistic from out of your brainiac hat by this point, Taranee, well done. Besides! Like I wouldn't _obviously_ use my Hydrokinesis to protect the _both_ of us once we went over, duh! And it's called being ' _adventurous_ ,' Cornelia! I'm sure _your_ definition of that to add onto _your_ ideal mate list would be 'Making sure my mate stays on top of their finances, and goes to bed by four-thirty in the _afternoon_ ,' am I right?"

". . . . What's wrong with staying on top of finances?" both Hay Lin and Will openly questioned at the same time, the act eliciting a surprised glance, then immediate giggles shared between them.

"See, _Will_ understands, Irma! Wait, did you have a job or something before moving here, Will? For me, it's my 'Cutesy' shop online, _plus_ my grandma making sure that I obviously am mindful of all my expenditures. _You_ know! How much it costs for me to restock my materials at the craft store I go to, and then also just the general pricing for each of the unique items I make and sell to my customers," Hay Lin explained casually, although the growing smile upon her face was one full of obvious pride, as she clearly _was_ rather gratified by her personal business.

Will merely nodded at this as she smiled back, before responding.

"Ahhh, I see. Maybe later on you could show me some of the stuff you make. And no, I didn't have an official job before moving to Bayville, Hay Lin, although I _did_ do a lot of volunteering at my local animal shelter, since I did share with you guys that I really love animals," she stated with another, much more crooked smile as the usual embarrassment over having taken center stage set in once more. "But, uh . . . I guess I just kinda know a few things about proper financing and what not since it was always just me and my mom up until now. Yeah. We've just always been far more mindful of the amount we spend on different things, why, and when and all that, by comparison to like, the more well off kids at my old school, I suppose. . . ."

"Right. Like _Cornelia_ , here," Irma teased with a wink toward the now glaring Cornelia, thankfully chiming in on Will's behalf just in time, as the tomboy honestly wasn't presently within any mood to divulge further into her personal life, especially considering she would have to within a few minutes _anyhow_ , due to their assignment.

" _Tch – !_ My _parents_ are technically the only 'wealthy' ones, Irma, and you _also_ know that I barely touch the monthly allowance they send me. Nowadays, anyway," Cornelia fired back with a loud tut, before quickly giving Will a far more sympathetic look than the redhead cared for. " _Seriously_ , though, Will. Even though Irma _clearly_ likes to purposefully push my buttons, I'm honestly _not_ as rich as she's portraying. And even if I were, it really doesn't matter. I'm not the spoiled brat I once was when I first arrived here, anyhow – And she _knows_ this. . . ."

Will once again nodded within general understanding, before she suddenly found herself unable to resist turning the tide and playfully stirring the pot once again.

"Mmhm . . . but seriously, though: How 'rich' _are_ you then? You said you 'barely touch' the money your folks send you, so I'm sure you must have, like, a bonafide _nest egg_ tucked away for _several_ rainy days," she remarked within jest, the remaining girls, even including Taranee, following suit within her present laughter as Cornelia groaned heavily within defeat.

"I'll just let you have that one, because you're still new, Will. _Anyway!_ Are you ready to go _now_ , Hay Lin, or not?" the blonde quickly changed the subject with a light smile toward the still giggling Will, before she and the rest of the group turned their attention onto the sable haired girl.

"U-Um . . . okay, fine, I guess. Hmm . . . what do I want out of my ideal marital partner? Ooh, _ooh!_ Okay, so _definitely_ a great sense of humor, like Irma said, as well. . . . Uhhh . . . has a _wonderful_ imagination . . . maybe into science fiction and stuff, like I am. . . . Doesn't have to be an actual artist or anything as I am, but at least can generally appreciate paintings and junk every now and again.. . . . Definitely loves his family, _also_ like Irma said!" Hay Lin slowly began to rifle off her tentative list, looking up at the ceiling as she ticked them off one by one upon her skinny fingers. "What else, what else . . . he doesn't have to be a big talker like I tend to be, but at least is a really good _listener_ and doesn't mind if I fall into another one of my chatterbox moments! And then, I guess, you know . . . just more of the same from Irma's list, really: Respectful, sweet, isn't scared of his emotions, you know. O-Oh! And, um . . . I guess is also pretty _cooky_ at times, like I also can be. There, that's ten, I think. Oh, wait, no! Um . . . cute, _I_ don't know, though I don't honestly care about that. Okay, _now_ that's ten, right?"

". . . . Is . . . that in order from most important, to least, then?" Taranee asked, pausing a moment from her continued penning in order to gaze questionably toward the petite girl sat next to her.

"Uhhh . . . I _suppose_ so, sure! Hey! That wasn't bad for my first try, considering – I have to remind you all _yet_ again – I've never before bothered to think about this sort of stuff until today!" Hay Lin replied with an indignant pout the very moment she caught her friends' similar stares of mild exasperation. "I'm sure you can just rearrange some things, seeing as we're all supposed to be agreeing on the more important qualities by the end of this, anyways! _Bah!_ Cornelia, _your_ turn, since you were so insistent upon putting me on the spot."

Cornelia's face promptly turned pink at this, before then thankfully regaining her composure in time before anyone, _Irma_ within particular, appeared to have noticed.

Just because Cornelia was now around seventy-five percent certain that the brunette had _somehow_ figured her out, it didn't mean she was suddenly going to completely drop the overall facade . . . at least, not until Irma would one day directly confront her about everything, anyhow, and even _then_ Cornelia's defense mechanisms would most probably kick in, causing her to outright deny the allegations. . . .

"Mmm, _sorry_ , Hay Lin. Wish I could, but it appears as though we're going around the table _clockwise_ , now, and not sporadically. Which means that _Taranee's_ next, then Will. Which means I'm the _last_ one to go, darn," she faintly smirked with a quick snap of her fingers, as she couldn't help but heave a gentle sigh of relief by that specific observation.

"C-Can I just ask what exactly is the _point_ of this Sociology class, though? I mean, yeah, a few days late in asking this since this is like, my sixth session since I've been here, now, but . . . really. Like, I get what the syllabus says and all, and I suppose I also kinda get the overall subject in general, maybe, but what does our figuring out the kind of person we might marry one day even have to do with the here and _now?_ I mean, won't these opinions naturally just _change_ over time as we get older?" Will couldn't resist openly posing her honest inquiry, the analytical portion of her mind naturally taking effect.

Whether she'd been speaking too loudly, somehow even above the surrounding conversations of the _other_ groups near theirs, or she'd simply been eavesdropped, Will wasn't sure, as _either_ way Doctor Chacon suddenly chimed in at her returned place in front of her desk in order to answer.

"And _that_ , my young Will, is _precisely_ the point!" she started with a cheerful, approving grin as she rose from her seat and began to approach. "What 'Sociology' is, that is. It's _always_ changing, in spite of the patterns one whom actively studies this particular science will observe! And _since_ it's ever evolving, just like you so astutely pointed out about each of your marital preferences, Will, this is why we conduct _countless_ experiments, and empirical analyses as our overall society continues on a'truckin'! And, as this specific unit will _hopefully_ teach you, _all_ of you, it is a great indicator of the general mindset and consensus of our surrounding peers. Something which, as gifted students, you should _all_ wish to continually be mindful of by default, so that we can personally see for ourselves the possible climate, good _or_ bad, if ever mutants are one day revealed to the rest of the world."

". . . . Yeah, _see_ , Will? What the Doc just said," Irma was the first to comment with a cheeky grin, as a chorus of laughter from mutually amused students chimed in after her.

"All right, all right, settle down, you guys! Thanks for that, Irma – Now back to work, all of you! Oh! And Will, _great_ question, though, by the way. Always love to see whenever one of my students actually gives a darn toward such an otherwise ' _boring_ class,'" Doctor Chacon laughed within good humor alongside her students, further illustrating to Will precisely the reason she was apparently one of the more favorite professors currently residing within the institute.

After this, things had run far more smoothly for their particular group, with little to no sidetracking comments as before.

Taranee was just about finished writing down her _own_ list of her most ideal mate, with both hers and Will's honestly appearing to be formulated rather hastily, as the pair mutually agreed that they had always been more or less within the same boat as Hay Lin, having little to no dating experience, nor had given their future intended much thought.

Still, it certainly didn't mean that it hadn't been done without profuse groans, moans, and _blushing_ like mad, try as _Will_ , especially, might to have remained as collected as possible.

However, considering that Irma, and even Hay Lin apparently couldn't help themselves within taking open delight by how undeniably flustered that specific topic had made both Taranee and Will, it was honestly a wonder that either girl had made it through at _all_.

". . . . _There!_ That's the last of my list, down, happy? Have a good chuckle at Will's and my overall discomfort, you two, even though it's _pretty_ clear we _all_ appear to want a lot of the same things by this point: Trustworthy, honest, kind, respectable, etcetera," Taranee initially murmured, before picking up a bit of steam as the slight temper she'd privately admitted to Will that past weekend of possessing appeared to be making its open debut into their ongoing discussion.

"Wow, y-yikes! _Relaaax_ , T! You know by now – Or should - that we're just _goofin_ ' on ya, sorry!" Irma quickly apologized with a genuine smile, as Hay Lin followed suit.

"Yeah! You know we love you guys! Yep, you, _too_ , Will, even though we only just met you last week, and all. But we still mean it! W-Well, at least _I_ still mean it – Irma will probably make you take her out to dinner first before _she_ says it, herself . . . like with Andrew _Horrrnsby!_ " Hay Lin teased in between uncontrollable giggles, successfully derailing the previous train of overall progress their group had been making.

" _Ugh!_ Did I _not_ say earlier that I unfortunately have to reschedule with him, anyway? _Besides!_ There's absolutely nothing wrong with making them _work_ for it! Right, Cornelia? A little of the 'carrot-stick' scenario, because I'm _so_ sure I'm gonna be spouting out the 'L' word so easily like that . . . even if I _do_ love love, sure," the brunette, natural jokester deflected with a mild shrug, although nonetheless openly confessing to her, at _times_ , boy crazy nature. "But, yes! And _finally_ , we come down to _you_ , my sweet! Take it away! A-Although, you know, like . . . it's cool if you need a few minutes, or whatever. _No_ pressure, we're all pals, here."

Doing her best to ignore the other girl's trailing comment, _especially_ , Cornelia slowly licked her now completely chapped lips before responding.

". . . . N-Not that I'm honestly sure why everyone's so _fascinated_ with the kind of person who might tickle my fancy, but fine," she started as nonchalantly as possible, giving a brief, sideways glance toward the awaiting Taranee before looking down toward her own notebook, and pretended to struggle with the personal composite. "Hmm . . . I suppose I would have to say that I'd like my ideal mate to be . . . warm, and kind . . . someone who is _fiercely_ bright and talented, yet isn't the first one to go _bragging_ about it. . . . Someone who can be _adorably_ shy, but at the same time has tremendous strength whenever they do find their voice from time to time. . . . They're able to provide a strong balance toward my _own_ overall nature, and isn't afraid to bring me back down to Earth if ever my old ways get the better of me.

"They, u-um . . . they challenge me within _every_ conceivable way, making me look at things within entirely new ways I never before thought possible. . . . I can lean on them, no matter _what_ , and they can trust me enough to do the very same. . . . They are incredibly loyal . . . generally trustworthy . . . and they are honestly _the_ most beautiful person I've ever known. . . ."

". . . . T-That was only nine," Irma breathed with a light smile, her naturally tanned complexion appearing every bit as flushed as _Cornelia's_ understandably now was.

Cornelia quickly looked across the table towards her, and actually managed to smile _back_ , searching the other girl's face to find that she appeared to be genuinely receptive within that moment, and was suspending her usual jester like behavior for a change.

". . . . And that they _love_ me, every bit as much as I love _them_ ," the blonde concluded within a quiet, uncharacteristically shy voice as both she and Irma continued to mutually smile at one another.

Maybe it wasn't really the end of the world if Irma _did_ know that Cornelia was in love with Elyon, after all.

They'd so far managed not to tear each other _apart_ as newfound roommates, anyhow.

Maybe, just maybe, if it turned out that Irma really _did_ know the truth, then it no longer appeared as though Cornelia had to honestly _worry_ so much that Irma was just going to be _Irma_ , and not only make a big deal out of it, but possibly share it with whomever would listen.

Which, considering how both Elyon and Cornelia were sort of two of the institute's 'star pupils,' as Irma, herself, had once put it, Cornelia suspected that it might make for some tantalizing chitchat for at _least_ a week or two around campus. . . .

". . . . Wow. Methinks we can _totally_ give first place for 'best list' to Cornelia, you guys, seriously. I _told_ you she was basically an expert, next to Irma!" Hay Lin began slowly within undeniable awe, before regrettably proceeding to commence within a round of applause, however brief.

"O-Oh, _gosh_ , Hay Lin, it – ! It's seriously not that big a _deal_ , all right? It was just whatever had come to me in the moment, that's all," Cornelia did her best to casually parry, repeatedly waving both hands in front of her as she tried to get the giddy girl to stop with the theatrics. "Can we just hurry up and finish the final list of what we _all_ think is best, and worst, please?"

"Yeah, I mean, sure, but . . . Hay Lin _does_ have a point, though," Will couldn't help but playfully offer, she, too, feeling rather impressed by how insightful her new friend's personal listing had been. "If ever you need any dating tips, Hay Lin, I'm thinking _Cornelia_ might be the better choice than Irma. . . ."

Taranee gave a broad smile within agreement, as she gazed impishly toward a continually blushing Cornelia, across the table at a now eagerly nodding Hay Lin, and back again.

"I'm going to have to concur with Will on that one, Irma, sorry. Cornelia's romantic assessment honestly was pretty eye-opening, _and_ pretty mature, already. Whomever ends up becoming your boyfriend next, he'd better be _'Prince Charming!'_ "

"H-Hey, what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

" _Arrrrghhh_. . . ." was all Cornelia could muster as her final response toward the topic, burying her face into her hands at the same time that Irma dramatically objected the apparently general consensus given by their mutual companions.

* * *

". . . . Elyon? Are you asleep?"

It was now the following period after her Sociology class, which, for Cornelia, meant that was Study Hall.

Despite her discomfort toward the end of the previous period, it had honestly ended up being rather enjoyable overall.

Cornelia felt like she had learned quite a bit about her friends, and indeed, _herself_ , or at least, where her love for Elyon was concerned, as she'd naturally never before put any of those particular feelings down onto paper before.

She'd never really _actively_ thought much about them, either.

She never needed to, as by that point they were simply every bit as automatic as breathing.

Still, it had been a pretty nice reminder to hear aloud her reasons behind feeling that way toward Elyon, and even more so to have finally openly shared them, if she was perfectly honest . . . especially considering no one, perhaps outside of Irma, had even the slightest inkling that Cornelia had anyone in mind in particular, let alone Elyon.

Doctor Chacon's points about continual social climate change certainly seemed to be the case for Cornelia and the others, as she admittedly couldn't readily recall the many times they'd each gathered together as frequently as they appeared to be as of late.

It was as though Will's recent arrival had ignited some sort of spark which had previously lain dormant within them, where the group's overall relationship was concerned.

Whatever the reason, be it Will indeed being the cementing catalyst, or perhaps even the five of them having faced extreme deadliness together, Elyon alongside, Cornelia didn't really care to have the answer for a change.

It was simply a pleasant change of pace, and one she found herself welcoming openly. . . .

Uncharacteristically promising to sit together later on during dinnertime, Cornelia had quickly satisfied Hay Lin's nosiness by informing the girls that she would simply do a quick pop in inside of her formerly shared dorm room with Elyon.

" _O-Okay, but take care not to trip over any of the mats I'd left on my bed! A-And that's 'mats,' for 'materials,' by the way, since I can see by your face you probably thought I had a bunch of literal floor mats all piled up in there for whatever reason! I'm gonna try making a few prototypes for our 'you-know-whats!'"_ Hay Lin had cheerfully explained with a quick wave of goodbye before proceeding to head to her _Advanced Placement Studio in Art_ class, while Irma purposefully dragged her feet up the stairs toward _Economics_ , and both Will and Taranee continued further on ahead back on the first floor to their shared _Elemental Manipulation 101_ lesson.

While Cornelia still had every intention of heading back downstairs and hopefully get to class on time, the general concern she possessed for her best friend naturally took precedence over even possibly receiving a _tardy slip_ from whichever professor would be presiding over the period today.

And so, without waiting for the other girl to possibly respond, Cornelia quietly pushed open the familiar door and entered inside.

"Sorry if you were trying to rest, but I wanted to – ! E-Elyon? _Elyon!_ Where are you? What's going on?" both Cornelia's mind and body immediately went into extreme alert the instant her blue eyes took in the rather startling sight presently laid out before her.

Positively _everything_ within the dorm room which wasn't nailed down or mounted up within some other fashion was left to Elyon's mercy, as her incredibly powerful telekinesis simultaneously _levitated_ every last object without effort. . . .

Cornelia honestly had to duck for cover several times as she proceeded further into the room, eyes wide with ample concern as she forced herself to remain as calm as possible.

_. . . . There go all the 'mats' Hay Lin was on about_ , she couldn't help but fleetingly muse as she bent down in time to dodge the rolled up skein of yellow yarn which had been lazily making its way toward her, before gingerly pushing it away from her and back toward the rest of Hay Lin's belongings.

Interwoven with the repeated sounds of various objects, big or small, carelessly colliding into one another, was the undeniable sound of Elyon _crying_ . . . _above_ Cornelia.

Immediately figuring out where her dearest friend could be, Cornelia practically slingshot her body over both Elyon and Hay Lin's separate beds which were presently floating, side by side, in front of the wide open terrace where the two blondes would frequently sit outside many a time in the past.

Not too long before Cornelia had ended up having to swap places with Hay Lin, Elyon had taken to utilizing her teleportation abilities more frequently whenever she would sit out there with her . . . mostly to purposefully rattle Cornelia's nerves whenever Elyon would uncharacteristically attempt dangerous stunts, such as teleporting from out of her seat, into midair high above the institute, and back again.

However, majority of the time Elyon would simply transport the both of them up onto the school's roof, where they would sit and talk, while taking in the beautiful sight of the entire campus from their otherwise precarious perch.

_Now_ , however, it would seem that the reason for Elyon's retreat onto the roof was anything but pleasant. . . .

"E-Elyon? Oh, God! _There_ you are! W-What's the matter, why are you crying?" Cornelia asked within ever mounting anxiety, as she stopped short upon making it out onto the previously abandoned terrace and _thankfully_ laid eyes upon the girl in question at last.

Curled up into an incredibly minuscule sized ball, at least three or so feet directly above her head was Elyon, her face completely buried within her lap as she continued to let loose her curiously wounded emotions, in addition to _powers_.

Suddenly hearing her friend call out to her, however, nearly caused Elyon to fall off the edge of the roof as her head immediately snapped at attention, and her woefully bloodshot eyes rested upon Cornelia.

"O-Oh! C-Cor . . . _Cornelia?_ What are . . . you d-doing here?" she somehow managed to articulate in between tremendously wet and sobbing hiccups, blindly reaching up to quickly wipe away a few tears within fruitless effort for the other girl not to have seen.

"W-Wha – ? Never _mind_ that! Tell me what's happened! Your dorm room is _completely_ Topsy-turvy right now thanks to your telekinesis, you're _that_ upset!" Cornelia dismissed Elyon's vain attempt at distraction, before approaching the white, ivy covered lattice which was right on the side of the terrace, and reached out with every intention to climb up to meet her friend.

Seeing this, Elyon promptly snapped out of her previous misery long enough to suddenly teleport back down onto the awaiting terrace, before seizing Cornelia around her waist from behind and carefully pulled her away from the ledge where she'd been leaning.

"W-What are you, _insane?_ I'm . . . _I'm_ the one with the quick transporting ability, not . . . not _you!_ " she chastised in between ongoing sniffles, although she didn't appear to be within any rush to release her best friend, as she then immediately pressed her face against Cornelia's well toned back and held onto her for dear life. "O-Oh, Cornelia, I'm . . . I'm such an _idiot!_ I should have . . should have never have thought for even a _moment_ that C-Caleb was . . . was serious about me!"

Of all the things Cornelia had thought Elyon might have explained was the matter, _that_ , understandably, was not.

Now beginning to feel far more perplexed than fearful as she'd previously been, Cornelia did her best to ignore the physical sensations of Elyon's hot breath sobbing uncontrollably through her shirt, thus repeatedly tickling her back.

". . . . Wait a minute, _wait_ a minute, here, hold on. What are you on about, you 'should have never have thought Caleb was serious about you?' It's _obvious_ he is! He just asked you out again yesterday, right? It was all you could _talk_ about then, and _again_ this morning on the way to 'Bayville,'" she did her best to shelve her concealed resentment toward such a fact, her previously morose disposition from earlier on that day temporarily settling back in as she continued. "Although, honestly . . . I gotta say that I was rather surprised that you didn't really want to talk about him some more on the way home . . . or said much of _anything_ at all, either. That's why I came to check on you before heading to 'Study Hall:' I was worried that I'd given you my cold, after all, and wanted to see if there was any way I could comfort you. I never expected to see that you'd need comfort for your _heart_ , instead. . . ."

Cornelia felt Elyon weakly nodding against her body, before slowly peeling herself from off of her and moved around to face her.

"Y-Yeah . . . this was why. B . . . Because . . . Because earlier, before fifth period, I-I . . . saw Caleb heading toward me while I was still at my locker," she began the obviously heartbreaking tale as Cornelia remained silent, although already beginning to simmer underneath, "a-and then, uh . . . u-um, I told him how excited I was for our next date this Friday, you know? But then . . . o-out of _nowhere_ , he just starts telling me that . . . ' _this_ ' isn't going to work out, a-and that it was far more trouble than it's . . it's worth!"

As Elyon renewed her avalanche of tears, unbeknownst to Cornelia having finished mimicking the similar back and forth motion with her index finger which Caleb had done to _her_ as he had let her down, Cornelia's _own_ emotions were swiftly heating up.

It was one thing for the guy to have regrettably become competition for her best friend's affections, however unintentional on _his_ part as it had initially seemed; it was another _entirely_ to have apparently been playing around with Elyon's feelings all along, even dragging Cornelia along for the ride within the process!

"W-What the hell? What an absolute _asshole!_ " Cornelia snapped out violently, the ivy behind her suddenly becoming even _more_ overgrown as her Geokinesis had clearly unconsciously triggered themselves within that moment. "A-And then he's gonna act all nice and _innocent_ with me earlier today, making me be a pawn within his sick, _bullshit_ game by asking me to deliver a note he wrote you, too!"

At this, Elyon couldn't help but perk up, at least a little bit, as she asked curiously, ". . . . 'Note?' What note?"

Managing to calm herself, at least enough so that the momentarily controlled ivy didn't completely overrun the _entire_ institute, at the rate she was making them grow, Cornelia turned to look at them a moment before slowly reaching into the back pocket of her jeans.

". . . . Here. Caleb gave this to me during gym class. I was . . . I was going to give it to you on the shuttle bus, but after seeing how _removed_ from everything you suddenly were, I'd decided to wait," she sheepishly confessed within defeat, her heart unavoidably twitching within renewed pain of her own as she forced herself to do the 'right thing,' after all. "I, uh . . . I don't know why I _didn't_ just give it to you then, though, as it might have cheered you up. B-But . . . seeing as it turns out that _he_ was, or _is_ the reason you're so upset, I suppose it was probably for the best. . . ."

Cornelia watched with bated breath as she honestly expected Elyon to quickly unfold the tiny, square shaped note, as she perhaps attempted to find some form of solace, or hint of the entire incident having been a complete joke.

An incredibly _cruel_ , incredibly _unnecessary_ joke, but a joke, nonetheless.

Instead, however, Elyon merely stared down at the folded piece of paper within her hand with a sudden frown forming upon her face, before it unexpectedly began to _tear_ itself into tiny pieces, via her telekinesis.

"W-What? Not that I can say I _blame_ you for doing that, but I'd honestly thought you might have gone ahead and read _whatever_ it was he had to say, _first_ ," Cornelia commented as she let out a brief exhale of admitted alleviation, an observation which only made her feel _worse_ within the long run, as she was meant to be fully focusing upon Elyon and her _own_ turmoil.

Mentally lifting the shredded pieces of paper into the air between them, Elyon let out a strangled cry as she then roughly thrust her right hand toward the wastebasket which had just timely floated past the open window, telekinetically moving the destroyed articles into it with ease.

". . . . _N-No_. I-I don't want to read whatever . . . whatever _messed_ up thing he had to say, continuing to play with my emotions like this. H-He already said _enough_ ," she stated within surprising seriousness as she thankfully began to stop crying, performing a double take as she appeared to only just then _finally_ realize the sheer havoc her mutant gifts were continuing to wreak upon Hay Lin's and her dorm room. "O-Oh, _no!_ "

Almost immediately did everything within the room stop floating all at once, with Elyon not taking the time to further recognize what she was doing, as not only was everything now within _complete_ disarray, but both hers, as well as Hay Lin's beds were now tangled up on top of one another as a result.

" _W-Whoa!_ Mmm . . . y-yeah. This might take us some _time_ to clean up," Cornelia murmured, more so to herself, as both she and Elyon had automatically covered their ears upon initially listening to the loud crashing noise Elyon's furniture had made upon landing, unceremoniously, back onto the smooth marble floor. "Then _again_ , we could always try to speed things up with you using your telekinesis once more. It got us into this mess, after all, right? W-Well . . . _Caleb_ did, actually, and I swear to _God_ when I see him again on Wednesday, I'm gonna _bury_ him for what breaking your heart like this, Ellie, and -"

Cornelia suddenly felt Elyon lunging her tiny body toward her once again, this time hugging her from the _front_ as tightly as she could, as she quietly whispered, ". . . . I'm so _lucky_ to have you, and that you're always here for me, Cornelia. I . . . I love you. . . ."

Cornelia didn't know _what_ to do, nor how to initially respond, as she felt her blood grow cold and her body immediately seize up.

They had said they loved one another _multiple_ times throughout the years, once their friendship and overall bond had successfully solidified, so the shock wasn't honestly over the fact that Elyon had done so.

Perhaps it was probably due to having come fresh right out of her _Sociology_ class, spending majority of that period talking about romantic relationships, with Cornelia even openly admitting that she would wish for nothing more than for Elyon to one day tell her that she loved her beyond that of mere companionship.

It was just a little more than she'd readily been expecting at the moment, that was all . . . that, and, for whatever, honestly _foolish_ reason, Cornelia could have sworn that this time, Elyon's declaration of affection felt a bit . . . _different_.

_No_ , no.

Today was just shaping out to be _incredibly_ emotional and hormone charged, with recent events honestly playing out like some sort of soap opera.

_First that idiot asks Elyon out, then turns out to have been duping her all along . . . then I think that Tabitha, of all people, might have been flirting with me during gym class, and now I'm allowing my previous 'Sociology' lesson to get the better of me, here. Snap out of it, Cornelia, before Elyon gets suspicious!_ Cornelia momentarily mused, before quickly doing what her mind had instructed her to do and successfully regathered her wits.

"I-I . . . love you, too, Elyon. _Always_ ," she practically whispered with a soft smile as she meant every word, momentarily wrapping her arms around her vulnerable friend and gently squeezed her tight before releasing her. " _Okay!_ So where should we start? Probably the _beds_ , right? Here, I'll take this side, and you -"

"- No, no, I got it. I _got_ it, Cornelia. _I've_ already been excused from the rest of my classes today. You _haven't_. I don't want you being late for Study Hall on account of me," Elyon cut her off with a shake of her head and weak smile, a faint, yet noticeable rouge slowly beginning to stain her cheeks as she curiously couldn't hold Cornelia's gaze. "Besides . . . all this cleaning will honestly give me some time to think. About _everything_ , I mean . . . although mostly about how I really _could_ have been so blind. . . ."

Frowning at this, Cornelia paused a moment before responding.

". . . . I don't know. I really don't want to leave you alone like this. And . . . I don't care if it makes me late, so what? As _Irma_ keeps trying to convince me, perfect attendance maybe really _isn't_ everything, after all," she remarked with a brief shrug, although her eyes couldn't help but fleetingly gaze down at her wristwatch to see that she only had one minute to spare before the tardy bell rang. "And you are _not_ blind, Elyon, or _stupid_ , before you call yourself that again, hear me? You simply did what most of us teenagers do, and jumped head first into what you naturally believed to be a potential relationship. No one can fault you for that, so _you_ shouldn't do so, either. And, _trust_ me on this one . . . you are definitely _not_ 'way more trouble than you're worth.' Without knowing you, I'd never have grown to become the person I am today, I apparently need to keep _reminding_ you of! So, please . . . chin up, all right? I-I _really_ don't want to go, I don't, but I _promise_ to come straight back as soon as the final bell rings!"

As Cornelia gave her heartsick friend one final embrace, before then carefully maneuvering out of the chaotic looking dorm room and booking it through the East Wing and back down the main staircase, she never before felt so _relieved_ to have an upcoming training exercise within the Danger Room, following her study hall period.

It was almost perfect timing that the extra session had been scheduled, courtesy of Professor Kandrakar having fulfilled his promise that past weekend that all students, effective immediately, would be experiencing double the training until further notice.

She thought she had played it pretty cool back there for Elyon's sake, and was honestly thankful that she hadn't appeared to catch the open threat Cornelia had made against Caleb, but Cornelia absolutely couldn't _wait_ to tackle whatever obstacle would await her later on.

Whatever it _did_ end up being, she only knew that she was going to positively let _loose_ , all while mentally picturing Caleb's smug, and lying little face each, and _every_ time. . . .

* * *

Will was feeling both optimistic, as well as positively _terrified_ , all at once.

Optimistic, because she had to keep reminding herself that she _did_ just play a direct part within saving someone's life just a few days ago – And an immensely powerful mutant, at that.

Terrified, however, because this was going to be Will's very first Danger Room training course, one which she wasn't entirely sure she'd even _live_ through. . . .

Well, no, to be fair, while it still was a Danger Room lesson, the heavens had seen fit to answer at least _part_ of Will's earlier prayer that it would somehow be canceled.

Instead, her premiere encounter with the menacing sounding facility had appeared to be commuted to _outdoors_ , a fact which Will had observed her fellow classmates take great pleasure within, as well.

. . . . Didn't Taranee keep assuring her, over and over, that at their collective level, the only thing they'd been doing prior to her arrival was basically just target practice?

It made Will wonder what _sort_ of 'target practice' it really was, if everyone could have looked so relieved to get out of the Danger Room, at least for that day. . . .

Randomly adjusting, and then readjusting the evidently standard issued black, leather training uniform which Taranee and the rest of their fellow classmates were presently wearing, Will nervously continued on alongside her friend as they both made their way down the slight incline which led to the back of the institute, and toward its _incredibly_ spacious backyard.

Will immediately focused her increasingly skittish attention onto the now vaguely familiar, Olympic sized swimming pool she could then make out within the distance to her right, with its neighboring tennis court she'd only just then realized even existed.

She hadn't returned to that particular area of the school since her first time, after all, as she was still naturally not yet confident that she could be around open similar bodies of water without seriously injuring herself.

Still, as her feet continued leading her toward what was honestly beginning to feel like a _death march_ of sorts, Will was beginning to almost want to take her chances, if any of the horrific things her mind was rapidly imagining turned out to be true. . . .

Suddenly, Will felt something brush up against her left leg, causing her to nearly jump clean out of her skin.

Looking down, peering back up at her there was a cinnamon colored, and green eyed . . . _dog?_

"H-Ha . . . I guess Rahne's trying to settle your nerves a bit, Will. I remember when she did basically the same thing for meduring _my_ first time," Will tuned in in time to hear Taranee openly comment at her side, at the same time that Will's mind momentarily drew a complete _blank,_ as the apparently female dog began to happily wag its tail while continually trotting along beside her.

". . . . Does . . . this school have a _mascot_ I didn't know about until now, or something? W-Wait . . . 'Rahne. . . .' Isn't that the same name as that Scottish girl I'd met over the weekend, during lunchtime within the dining hall? Is this _her_ dog, then?" she asked innocently, growing a bit more relaxed, indeed, as the honestly sweet canine successfully continued to distract her from her impending lesson.

She _did_ love animals, after all.

Bending down a moment in order to gently caress the top of Rahne's soft head, Will let out a cry of alarm, at the same time that the dog suddenly began to . . . _transform_ , it appeared, into a black uniformed, female _human_.

Human _Rahne_ , in fact. . . .

"S-Sweet _Jesus!_ You could have warned me that this dog _is_ Rahne, Taranee, _thanks!_ " Will spat out within intermingling fear, as well as annoyance, although feeling thankful that it hadn't been _so_ much of a surprise as to involuntarily trigger her Electrokinetic abilities.

"O-Oh, _sorry_ for that, Will! And don't be cross with Taranee! I should've probably told you _myself_ when we first met what my mutant ability is, as I . . . _do_ tend to grow a wee bit overzealous with shifting back and forth, sometimes," the fellow redhead apologized with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her head as the minuscule sized pigtails on either side coincidentally resembled the former ears she'd momentarily possessed as a dog. "I _did_ just wanna calm you down some, though, since Roberto and I were watching you. And I told him, I said, 'She's up to high doh, she is! I'm gonna go see if I can't bring her back down!'"

"W-Wait . . . huh?" was all Will could manage as she continued listening to the friendly girl's honest ramblings, reminding her a lot of Hay Lin as a result.

"Aw, man, babe! I _told_ ya you were gonna freak out the newbie! Don't mind my girlfriend: She has an interesting idea of what 'Welcoming Committee' means," a tall, teenage boy with short, wavy dark brown hair which further complimented his chocolate colored eyes and skin suddenly called out from behind. He then quickly broke out into a light jog toward the walking trio before continuing. "Hey! What's up? Will, right? Name's Roberto. Roberto da Costa! But feel free to call me ' _Savior_ ,' 'cause I've _totally_ got your back for whatever today's exercise is gonna be! No sweat!"

Resisting the urge to scrunch up her face within a mixture of general uncertainty, in addition due to the unfamiliar boy's blatantly chauvinistic introduction, Will gave a faint smile and nod before carefully taking Roberto's outstretched hand and shook it.

"U-Uh . . . _eeeyeah_. Thanks for that, Roberto. I _am_ pretty apprehensive about today, true, since I've never done anything like this before and you all _have_ , but . . . I'm still ready to try, I guess. Plus, while she did startle me a little bit, I think I'd probably choose _Rahne's_ comforting tactic versus some bigger . . . fanfare," Will remarked with a slowly growing smirk as she observed both Rahne, as well as Taranee apparently catching onto her vaguely subtle implication, the two girls softly giggling to themselves as Roberto's formerly confident expression converted into one of surprise.

"H-Hey! How would you _not_ want a handsome, _strong_ young man as your greeter? I mean, _check_ it out!" he asked within feigned offense, his overall personality appearing to be one consisting of profound confidence, optimism, and a touch of vanity thrown in, grinning broadly toward Will and wagging his thick eyebrows up and down while flexing both of his biceps.

"Ach! You're a wee scunner, sometimes, you know? I've a right mind to turn _Lupine_ next and give you a good clip on the ears . . . with my razor sharp _claws_ ," Rahne abruptly shifted from general amusement to blatant aggravation, carefully walking around Will and Taranee in order to gently push against her apparently flirtatious boyfriend's chest with both hands. "You may be 'Mr. Super strength Overachiever' whenever the sun's out, but the moment it's gone, _you_ turn into the damsel in distress . . . like _now_ , in fact. Head's up, sweetie! Big clouds up ahead!"

Grunting lightly from the unexpected physical attack and now rubbing at his chest, Roberto flashed the mildly heated redhead an apologetic smile, and nodded.

"O-Okay, okay! _Geez!_ Don't wanna ignite that temper any further . . . although you _do_ know how much I enjoy hearing that mild accent of yours and random slang come out more whenever it is," he managed to toss in a compliment in between chuckles, before looking up at the sky to see that it indeed was gradually becoming partly overcast. "Sorry to you, too, Will! Don't wantcha thinking that I'm some slime ball, 'cause I'm not! I just really like giving my _all_ , twenty-four-seven . . . although with these crappy clouds forming, now, Rahne's right: It's gonna make today a lot more . . . ' _adventurous_ ,' I guess. O-Oh, right, yeah. You probably don't know about _my_ gifts either yet, but basically I absorb solar energy, then convert it into physical strength. So far, anyway . . . but here's hoping for some further advancements!"

"Ah . . . so you're like a really strong _plant_ , then," Will heard herself teasing before she could prevent it, initially worried that the boy in question would take umbrage, and then it'd be like being back home at her old school all over again. . . .

Thankfully, however, not only did Roberto burst out into admittedly over the top laughter, but so, too, did Rahne, while Taranee discreetly gave a playful push into Will's side.

"Ha, ha, ha! I _knew_ I had the right vibes about you, Will! I like you! I like her, babe, _told_ you!" the lone male within the small group continued chortling, as Rahne, clearly no longer upset with her significant other, affectionately wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Yeah, yeah, you did! But _I_ did, as well, so we're even," she remarked after her own giggles had calmed down, the quartet nearing their destination. "But Will _has_ a point, though. Hmmm . . . maybe we should start calling you ' _Photosynthesis_ ,' instead of that silly 'Sunspot' nickname you've been telling a couple of our housemates to refer to you as during training! Definitely suits you!"

As the happy couple continued on within their friendly debate, the former ease Will had thankfully amounted during the group's brief journey suddenly began to evaporate as she nervously locked eyes with the individual who would evidently be their instructor on that day.

". . . . Ohh, no. _Professor Starlighter?_ Didn't you tell me that whenever _she's_ in charge of your training sessions in the Danger Room, she can be pretty . . . _intense?_ " Will smartly whispered against Taranee's left ear as the two slowed down their overall pace.

Taranee quickly shook her head, smiling weakly as she did her best to once again lull her new friend's fears.

"Nooo, no. What I _said_ was that she gives . . . tough, b-but _fair_ instruction. I'd say she's that way for _any_ of the classes she teaches, though, right? Don't you have her for Biology?"

"W-Well, yeah, _sure_ , but I mean, it's _Biology_ , though. That's something I can _handle_ , as you know about me by now. This is a _completely_ different ballpark we're dealing with," Will muttered underneath her breath, her heart beginning to beat rapidly, as her mind willed itself to block out the varying 'horror' stories she'd already been told from her fellow housemates about how . . . _hardcore_ , at times, Professor Starlighter's presiding tutorials could truly become. "Just know that if I _die_ within the next fifty minutes, I'm holding you _directly_ responsible for spouting out misinformation. . . ."

Rolling her eyes at this, Taranee nonetheless softly giggled as both girls at last came to a complete stop, taking their place beside the Rahne and Roberto duo after they had gone on ahead moments before, and quietly waited for the remainder of their average sized class of fourteen to catch up.

As they did so, Will then seized the opportunity to try to grasp a better understanding of what would be expected of her that day, as she keenly looked about the vast field . . . but saw nothing.

Well, no, that wasn't entirely true, as to her left she could see a little side trail which appeared to lead to a mildly thick forest area . . . though she highly doubted that any of them would be asked to go _hiking_ as their most strenuous activity to occur that day.

Beyond that, there was just the bare, seemingly never-ending land, and a . . . rather stern looking Professor Starlighter standing otherwise patiently before them, with her arms draped neatly behind her back.

Unlike the slightly drab uniforms each of her students were presently wearing, the older woman evidently preferred to inject some color into her _own_ attire, as she was elegantly draped within purple colored sari pants, with a matching long sleeved, and turtlenecked blouse.

Taranee had randomly informed Will last week that one thing she enjoyed during her Danger Room training exercises was observing the personal touch Professor Starlighter always brought with her lessons, as this appeared to be really the only time the Indian woman would openly reveal a bit more of herself, including her heritage, to her students.

" _It's just nice to see that maybe she isn't just all business, day in and day out, you know?"_ she'd casually commented at the time, causing Will to just then unconsciously nod to herself at the memory.

Her habitually braided and long, salt and pepper ponytail now meticulously wrapped up into a tight bun, Professor Starlighter nodded curtly toward the last of her students whom just finished trickling onto the field.

". . . . All right, good. Good afternoon, class. As you know, this past weekend had been . . . particularly harrowing, and as announced by your headmaster, your other professors and I will hereby be instructing you through additional training exercises until stated otherwise," the traditionally serious woman at last spoke, officially commencing her lesson. "As such, several of your Danger Room exertions will now be conducted outside, a transition which would have normally occurred at a later date as each of you gradually progressed within advancement. However, as clearly illustrated on Friday night, there is no simple ' _off_ switch' within the real world, and thus, we cannot afford to simply sit on our hands and wait for the _next_ near tragic event to catch you all unawares. . . .

"And so, today's overall agenda to take away: Being _aware_ of one's surroundings, and utilizing one's gifts accordingly, if and when a precarious situation should arise. The first half? Stationary target practice, just as you've been used to up to now, in order to help build upon our momentum. And then, the second half: A simple race to the finish within that trail path over there, alongside the partner . . . of _your_ choosing. . . ."

"Y-Yeah, all right! Sounds like _cake_ , today!" Will heard the random brunet standing next to her suddenly cheer, an overly confident smirk adorning his lightly tanned face. "O-Oops, _sorry_ about that, Professor Starlighter. Speaking out of turn, I mean. I'm just excited, that's all!"

"Hmm . . . glad to hear it, Mister Drake. _You_ can go first, then," Professor Starlighter remarked within her usual, no nonsense tone, although her gray eyes suddenly giving off a curiously mischievous, and knowing twinkle as she then extended a single hand out toward the middle of the unassuming field. "Please. Do take your mark."

" _Oooh_ . . . this is gonna be good!"

"Nice knowing you, Bobby!"

"I don't like the direction this is heading. . . ."

came the varying comments of Will's surrounding peers, majority of them clearly used to the boy apparently named Bobby's boisterous outbursts as they simply stood and watched him now begin to walk further out onto the field with _far_ less pep than before.

Now standing upon what was essentially the middle of the large area a few feet away, Bobby gently cleared his throat before asking, "U-Uhhh, okay! I'm ready to go, Professor Starlighter! But where are the – _A-Ahhh!_ "

Bobby hadn't even any time to finish his sentence before he then found himself being catapulted several feet into the air by the sudden rise of earth formerly beneath his feet.

Will's eyes instantly widened within understandable alarm, watching with mounting concern as Professor Starlighter calmly walked ahead of her, both arms now stretched and palms open, as she was clearly the one to have created the rather unexpected land formation.

As Bobby was about to hit the ground, his entire body suddenly turned to complete _ice_ , startling Will as a result, while the rest of her classmates also watched on with a divided reception of open encouragement for _both_ sides of the apparent sparring match.

Seeming to have gathered his wits about him, at least long enough to quickly tuck and roll his uniquely encased body before sustaining any serious harm, Bobby then began to hurriedly fire off random, icy projectiles from out of his right hand toward his approaching instructor.

A steady stream of solid ice effortlessly shot from out of his _left_ , directing it toward the ground before hurriedly jumping onto it and more or less . . . _surfing_ as far away from the undeniably intimidating Professor Starlighter as he could.

A quarter of the field now resembling a partially frozen ice skating rink, Professor Starlighter remained undeterred by her student's admittedly halfhearted attempts of keeping her at bay, as she effortlessly dodged Bobby's icy projectiles, maneuvering her body out of the way each time with incredible finesse.

Appearing to desperately yearning to shift the tide of battle, thankfully managing to successfully skirt a few of Professor Starlighter's newly summoned _boulders_ , Bobby abruptly redirected his previous trajectory further away from her, and bravely decided to attack her straight on.

" _Ahhhh!_ " he cried, both arms now raised high above his head and hands glowing a stark white as he quickly jumped off from the slight ramp he'd then created for himself.

Will let out a slight gasp as she continued the watch the ongoing spectacle, growing a bit impressed that it very much now appeared as though Bobby had their teacher _right_ where he wanted her.

A rather large ball of ice now forming in between his illuminated palms, Bobby was about to hurl it straight down on top of Professor Starlighter . . . before she let out a sharp grunt as she immediately stopped her own advancement, raising her left hand straight into the air within a jerking motion, at the same time the ground beneath her violently began to shake.

Without any further warning did a set of tremendously thick, _tall_ , and green colored vines suddenly spring forth and rise high above the previously in tact earth, the first one continuing to climb straight toward the clouds before vigorously flailing around like a whip right before _easily_ splintering Bobby's recently formed ball of ice.

As the skies now began showering both Bobby, as well as herself with sporadic pieces of frozen water, Professor Starlighter let out another, heated cry as she further tapped into her Geokinetic abilities, this time punching the air directly in front of her with her right hand, causing the second, manifested vine to do the very same . . . straight into Bobby's _abdomen_.

" _A-Argh!_ " he groaned within obvious pain, his body no longer completely covered within ice, evidently no longer able to maintain his concentration, as the force through which he'd been knocked sent him flying backward, and right toward his icy incline.

"O-Ohhh, _man_ . . . he is _definitely_ going to be feeling that for a while, even _through_ his ice armor," Roberto stated with a sympathetic wince as he and the rest of his peerage watched as Bobby's vaguely scrawny body then landed against the sheet of ice with an unceremonious _thud_ , before blindly sliding back down toward the ground. "See? _This_ is why I at least know better to keep my mouth shut whenever any lesson's going down!"

At this, Rahne let out a brief scoff before stating, "What are _you_ on about? You _also_ got a sound taste of Professor Starlighter's awesome skills just _last week!_ "

"E-Er, _yeahhh_ . . . which is why I now know better to keep my mouth shut whenever any lesson's going down, like I said!"

Having covered her mouth that entire time without having realized, Will initially began mumbling into it, causing Taranee to lean forward and quietly whisper, ". . . . W-What did you say, Will?"

Partially snapping from out of her understandably fearful daze, Will promptly pulled her hand away as she hissed, "I-I said that you'd better have that _eulogy_ ready to go!"

Taranee couldn't help but release a heavy exhale past her lips, although she could at least continue to understand the redhead's ongoing trepidation.

"Everything will be _fine_ , Will, really. . . . I know it looks bad right now, _c-clearly_ , but like you just heard Roberto say, it's only if you're being openly disrespectful, like while the professor is trying to teach either her Danger Room or normal classes, that things might get. . . ."

" _'Intense?'_ Yeah, see, intense. Didn't I _just_ say that a few minutes ago? Oh, _God_. . . ." Will completed her friend's sentence, knowing precisely what Taranee was going to say, slapping a hand to her forehead as she quickly made a mental note to _never_ do anything which might set the daunting teacher off the next time Will went to her _Biology_ class.

She wouldn't even _sneeze_ , lest it might result within a day of detention, which scarily encompassed fighting off a flower bed of man eating _vines,_ and whatever else Professor Starlighter saw fit to manifest. . . .

". . . . Are you able to stand, Mister Drake?" Will could just make out Professor Starlighter coolly inquire within the slight distance upon the now partially disheveled field, as the tall woman now calmly loomed over a grunting Bobby.

" _M-Mm_ . . . uh, I-I think so, yeah. _U-Ughhh._ . . ." he shakily responded in between breaths, gingerly rubbing at his stomach before slowly rising to his feet.

"Good. Then you may rejoin your classmates. I hope that this experience was every bit of . . . ' _cake_ ' as you'd so boldly proclaimed," Professor Starlighter delivered evenly with a slight nod, momentarily watching her conquered student commence the walk of shame back to his awaiting peers, before stretching her arms out toward the various mounds of earth and vines she had created.

Within a few moments, the field was again more or less as it once was, with any newcomers being none the wiser that a previous scuffle had occurred, save the remaining trails of ice left behind by Bobby.

"Now . . . while Mister Drake seizes this opportunity to recuperate, who would like to go first, _properly?_ " Professor Starlighter asked as she resumed her general lesson without missing a beat, walking back toward her pupils, all of whom now appeared _incredibly_ nervous. ". . . . Don't all volunteer at _once_ , now. . . . A-Ah, yes. Today we have a new addition, I'd nearly forgotten. Miss Vandom. Why don't _you_ do us the honor of being the first to proceed, then? Better to simply get it over with, after all."

_N-No . . . not if it means ending up like Bobby, or worse it does_ , Will nervously mused, scrunching up her face and abruptly stopping short within the middle of attempting to blend in toward the _back_ of the group before her instructor could have noticed her.

Sadly, this clearly was not the case, as Will _somehow_ forced her legs to carry her out onto the field, giving a quick glance toward Taranee as she passed, who flashed her a quick thumbs up and as encouraging a smile as she could manage.

Further recalling her overall training thus far, remembering to maintain proper breathing while centering herself as much as possible, Will briefly took a moment to gaze down at her hands in time to see that they were positively _quivering_.

It was certainly a good thing that she was presently wearing a pair of gloves, or else she wouldn't be able to grip a single thing if need be, as her palms were also becoming rather _sweaty_ , as well.

Quickly opening and closing both palms, silently scolding herself to snap out of it and simply remember everything she'd already accomplished within such a short amount of time, Will braced herself for whatever happened next.

She didn't have to wait long, however, as directly in front of her suddenly rose several rows of targets from out of the ground – Four, in fact, each with a blue tinted, medium sized bullseye centered upon them.

"As you can see, the targets are stationary, just as previously stated. There are also _six_ targets, four rows in total with each aligned within a zigzag like formation, and spread out a good distance. This is to give you ample viewing space, at the same time possibly making it a bit more challenging to successfully maintain your precision as you progress," Will avidly listened to Professor Starlighter explain from behind. "Now, as it's to my understanding from your other professors, you, Will, despite still learning primarily the basics from them, you have simultaneously been taking the initiative of further honing in upon your abilities on your _own_ time, correct? That you are now, in fact, able to create ball lightning on command?"

Face growing incredibly hot as she was regrettably put onto the spot even further, Will sheepishly nodded as she turned around to respectfully face her teacher, lest she reignite the woman's ire.

"Y-Yes, Professor Starlighter, I-I have. That is, I have been trying my best to get the hang of my powers, and did let Professor Lin know about this during my 'Elemental Manipulation 101' class," she replied obediently with another nod, briefly marveling at how _quickly_ word evidently traveled between the institute's staff, considering Will had only just informed Hay Lin's grandmother of this news last period.

Will felt herself blinking rapidly within surprise a moment, as the usually non-indulgent woman suddenly bestowed upon her a faint, yet still noticeable _smile_ of apparent approval at this.

". . . . Very good. Diligence and perseverance are indeed key, particularly for _your_ specific gifts," she complimented, before, just like that, the smile was gone, replaced by a curiously far off, almost _resentful_ sort of stare as she coldly added, ". . . . Just be sure to make certain that such power does not go to your _head_."

"O-Oh, uh . . . uh, I . . . won't?" Will awkwardly stammered within response, managing a discreet glance toward Taranee, who also appeared every bit as befuddled by their professor's odd, emotional shift as Will was.

Regardless, it was over as quickly as it had occurred, as Professor Starlighter effortlessly fell back into place with her regularly collected demeanor, nodding toward Will before calmly stating, "All right. You may begin."

Sharply sucking in her breath, Will bit down onto her bottom lip as she held it in a moment, before then releasing it as a gruff exhale before turning back around to face her literal targets.

_. . . . You've got this, Will,_ she privately continued to coach, gazing toward her now cradled hands, as she proceeded to attempt summoning up her mutant ability.

Thankfully, it hadn't taken much time at all, Will now feeling rather pleased with herself that all of her separate exercises have actually been paying off as a result, and she couldn't help but smile to herself as she peered down at her now sparking hands.

She fleetingly wondered if her gloves were perhaps made from similar material as that of lineman workers, considering the pair was successfully remaining in tact as the intimidating element continued crackling angrily in between them.

Quickly putting the thought aside, Will returned all her focus to the task at hand, carefully lifting her now dormant left hand away from her right, which continued to sustain the small, but lethal sphere of lightning.

_All right, Will . . . just . . . pretend you're playing baseball. One really . . . violent game of baseball_ , she mused with a faint nod, raising her electrified hand into the air as she slowly revved up her pitch.

Will let out a soft grunt as she then hurled the lightning ball toward what she _hoped_ to be the easiest target within the first row, the one directly in front of her . . . and she was _right_.

Will couldn't help but let out a happy squeal as she watched as she'd _actually_ made her mark, clapping both hands together within furthered triumph.

It might not have been a perfect bullseye, hitting more so the upper right edge of the target, in fact, but she'd done it.

_And_ , to Will's ongoing surprise, even several of her fellow classmates followed suit within the honest achievement, as well.

Even _Bobby_ , whom she had honestly thought might have been feeling pretty miffed over his previous, and honestly embarrassing defeat was effortlessly joining in within the revelry, pumping one fist into the air while gingerly still massaging at his stomach with the other.

She really _couldn't_ get over the complete one-eighty her recent change within social environment had done within just the past few weeks. . . .

Now feeling a little _less_ self conscious, as well as uncertain, Will took another deep breath before successfully repeating the process of creating yet another ball of lightning.

Over the next few minutes, Will didn't think she could have been any prouder of herself, as not only had she to hit every single target within the first two rows, but she'd even managed to actually clip one from _each_ of the remaining two.

It might not have been all twenty-four, nor were any perfectly snagged within the middle, but considering that she hadn't expected to land even _one_ , Will could safely say that it wasn't a bad first attempt, all in all.

Even Professor Starlighter appeared to be pretty impressed, as well, informing Will that she truly was coming along rather nicely with her overall progression, before she'd then called upon the next student to give it a try.

Once everyone had successfully satisfied the first half of her lesson, Professor Starlighter then allowed her students a few moments to rest before pairing up for their apparent race . . . something which Will had honestly forgotten all about, she had been too busy riding her previous high of personal victory.

"O-Oh, right . . . the race," she murmured to herself, her previously allayed nerves slowly returning as her brown eyes slid toward the thick forest trail where the next activity was meant to take place.

Taranee, whom had gone last during the prior exercise, lightly smiled and rested a hand upon Will's shoulder as the pair now stood side by side once more.

Watching her in action had been rather intriguing to Will, quite honestly, as Taranee's own version of target practice had primarily consisted of her simply trying to _melt_ as many of them as she could via her mind, given that she currently could not manifest any fireballs, otherwise.

True, her Thermokinetic abilities might one day soon evolve and allow her to do so, as Will now understood, but, like always, Taranee was _quite_ content with what she could achieve at the moment . . . especially considering her undeniable satisfaction at having managed to burn _twenty-two_ of the twenty-four targets.

A personal milestone, according to her.

"Aw, hey. If you could manage to take out several of those targets, _and_ during your first Danger Room session, then a little race should be no problem, right? Would you like to be my partner?" Taranee asked with another smile, the act managing to immediately loosen up Will's slight nerves as she nodded within response.

"Yeah, sure, Taranee, thanks. And you're _right!_ I'm not saying that they won't become _more_ challenging, duh, but _today's_ Danger Room experience really _did_ turn out to be all right. Guess you won't need to get that eulogy ready, after all," she giggled, before unconsciously already beginning to lead the way toward the trail's entrance.

"Ahh, I see we have our first volunteers. _Apparently,_ you've become taken with starting things off, now, haven't you, Will?" Professor Starlighter called out from behind the duo, both feeling uncertain whether or not the older woman had been attempting to make a joke. "All right, then. _Again_ , the objective is the same as before: Hit as many targets as possible. However, _this_ time, not only will they be moving, but will be hidden within various areas along the trail. You must _also_ keep your partner _safe_ , and vice versa, as you both proceed toward the finish line . . . as there will be a few surprises along the way, possibly impeding your progression. _This_ is where we will see how aware each of you truly are of your surroundings, so do your absolute _best_ to keep your heads, and utilize your gifts accordingly to make it through. . . ."

". . . . _O-Ohh_ , God. I think I _definitely_ spoke too soon about today not being too bad, _after_ all," Will whispered to herself as both Professor Starlighter, and the rest of her class approached.

Both randomly waving toward a few of their classmates, who were now once again openly showing their support and overall encouragement, Will and Taranee then glanced at one another within _mutual_ apprehension, before slowly heading down the trail.

". . . . You think it's gonna be like some sort of . . . _ring of fire_ we'll be meant to contend with before reaching the finish line?" Will listened to Taranee's obvious nervousness finally rising to the surface, after a few minutes of formerly uneventful silence. "O-Or maybe like a . . . a-a _tiger_ , and a _lion_ , together, _both_ of whom would jump through said ring of fire, before _charging_ at us. . . ."

". . . . Well, I mean . . . if we were maybe somewhere else, instead, like the _circus_. Then I guess, sure, why not," Will attempted to jest, though her own mind was understandably _racing_ , as both girls continued to wonder whatever was in store for them. "It's honestly more so the fact that _so_ far we've been met with absolutely nothing, and we've been in here for maybe . . . at least five minutes, or so. It's like we're just on an afternoon _nature walk_ through a regular for – _Ahh!_ "

Will barely had enough time to reach for Taranee and yank her down onto the ground with her, _seconds_ before a fast approaching and small, red colored ball nearly hit the both of them, simultaneously.

"A-Ah! What _was_ that?" Taranee cried out, random leaves now adorning her head as she frantically readjusted her glasses.

Looking up in time to see the formerly in tact projectile abruptly splatter, _ruthlessly_ , against the tall tree which had been closest to them, both teenagers let out a sharp gasp as they at the same muttered, ". . . . _P-Paintballs!_ "

"Professor Starlighter _does_ know how much those things can _hurt_ , right?" Will nervously questioned, carefully rolling off of her friend and remained crouched down upon her knees for continued cover.

Taranee nodded vigorously within obvious agreement.

"I-I've only ever played once before with my dad and older brother, and I _don't_ plan to again any time soon! I was sore for almost a _week_ after getting pegged only twice – A-And _that_ was even _with_ all of the necessary protective gear!" she hissed with a shake of her head, smartly choosing to stay low alongside her friend. "B-But let's get _out_ of here! I think if we just maintain cover and stay on high alert like this, we'll make it!"

And with a quick nod of mutual understanding, they were off, apparently preferring, at least initially, to take on the defensive, strategically charging further down the seemingly never-ending path and toward what would _hopefully_ be a successful end.

Evidently, their professor had truly intended to lull them into a false sense of security during the beginning half of their lesson, as things immediately went from zero to one hundred within _seconds_.

Each girl barely had any time to verbally communicate with one another, as they were frantically dodging the sudden onslaught of paintballs from all sides, now, causing them to repeatedly duck for cover, in between trying to further assess their overall predicament.

". . . . W-Wh . . . Where the hell are these damned moving targets, anyway?" Will managed to call out from her place tucked within a random bush, twigs and other such foliage now completely covering her own body.

"I-I'm . . . beginning to think that these _are_ the targets, Will!" Taranee cried within heated response in the near distance across from her, strategically hidden behind yet another tree, before then carefully risking a chance to pop her head up in order to point toward the menacing projectiles. "T-They obviously must be coming from _somewhere!_ If we can . . . can locate the source, then we'll be able to put a _stop_ to all this chaos!"

Taking a moment to register her companion's open train of thought, Will nodded firmly before stating, "A-All right! Better than keep trying to play _tag_ with these things, anyway! But where are – ! _Ooh!_ Hey, _hey!_ I think I just saw one! Up _there_ , in that tree behind you!"

" _W-Wha – ?_ " Taranee yelped within alarm, quickly maneuvering around her own tree and away from the direction she could see Will avidly pointing. "I don't see any – ! Yes, _yes!_ There it is!"

Before she even knew what she was doing, Will bravely charged forward from out of her hiding spot, an impressively large sphere of lightning cradled within one hand as she ran toward a now startled Taranee.

" _A-Argh!_ " Will grunted, roughly volleying the bolt of lightning as far as she could before diving for renewed cover beside the awaiting Taranee.

Both girls watched within immense _relief_ as Will's previous target practice appeared to already be paying off, as the menacing looking, and automated . . . _rifle_ of sorts, which had previously been undetected high within its tree abruptly began _malfunctioning_ , the white hot electricity clearly interfering with its apparent circuitry.

Now making repeated whirring noises, thankfully unable to resume its previous paintball barrage as it continued sparking uncontrollably, Will hurriedly seized Taranee's hand as she cried, " _Now_ l-let's go! _Quick_ , before that thing resets itself, or whatever!"

A renewed vigor of hope infused itself into each of their veins, as Will, and now Taranee, proceeded to use their mutant abilities, as previously instructed by their professor, as they courageously pressed on.

They were honestly falling more and more into step with one another, making quite a team, indeed, as each girl covered the other without much prompt.

It was certainly tricky, rather exhausting, in addition to _hair-pulling,_ having to still somehow dodge, if not actively _destroy_ the multitude of paintballs which continued flying toward them with abandon, but at least they were making conscious progress each time they'd managed to locate, and then subdue the various sources.

Taranee let out a deep sigh of ease as she was the first to spot the large, erected white flag within the distance, just making out that it read the word _"Finish"_ within bold, black letters printed upon it.

" _T-There!_ I can see the end!" she exclaimed happily, at the same time she'd successfully finished partially melting the front half of yet another computerized paintball gun, which had just then unexpectedly risen from out of the _ground_ at her side.

Will couldn't help but chuckle within blatant elation toward the news, just then _also_ spotting the finish area, before quickly rushing on ahead to suddenly stand directly beside Taranee. "I-I think I have an idea that might get us through the final stretch! You just have to keep attacking . . . m-maybe!"

"U-Uh . . . all right!" Taranee stammered out hesitantly, refocusing her attention back onto the, quote, unquote, battlefield, reactivating her Thermokinetic gifts as she did so.

Will, meanwhile, silently prayed that her newest plan would even work, as the last time she'd attempted this it had also been the _first_ , not to mention during a moment of _extreme_ duress.

_But then, I suppose this is also sort of another moment of duress, so . . . here goes!_ Will quickly mentally correlated, taking a few moments before abruptly thrusting both arms high above hers, and Taranee's heads.

Almost immediately, an electrified dome, quite identical to the one which had appeared in time to protect both Elyon and Julian from the collapsing amphitheater that past Friday, suddenly manifested into existence, popping and sparking intensely as it now began protecting both Will, and Taranee.

Determined not to let her teammate down, Will put her all into successfully maintaining the lightning based shield, watching with delight as the once treacherous paintballs which had been threatening to strike them down at any time effortlessly disintegrated into nothingness upon impact.

" _W-Wow!_ " was all Taranee could initially manage in between continued grunts and gasps as she, too, did her own part beside Will, raising both arms on either side of her as her now . . . suddenly orange glowing hands successfully emitted intense heatwaves somehow through the shield, and toward the several new paintball guns which then came into view. " _T-This_ must be what Elyon was referring to when she kept talking about the _shield_ you'd used to save her life! _Awesome!_ "

"Y-Yeah . . . thanks! Too bad I'm too _scared_ to move from out of this spot while doing this, or else we could probably just _run_ the rest of the way down the path, fully protected!"

Taranee briefly nodded within understanding, the previous, concentrating frown upon her face deepening as her body curiously began to grow even _more_ hot than it'd naturally been already.

"No worries! I can see a few more machines popping up from where we are, so I-I'll continue handling them for –!" she stated with vague confidence, before both hers, _and_ Will's eyes immediately widened within alarm, as from out of both hands suddenly shot out a large, wildly dancing ball of actual _fire_. . . .

It was certainly a good thing that the apparently latest advancement within Taranee's mutant gifts honestly _startled_ Will enough to break her overall focus, causing her to drop their previous armor, or else she was quite certain that the violent element might have instead possibly _ricocheted_ from off of it on the inside, before setting the two of them _aflame_.

" _A-Ahhh!_ " both girls cried out, Taranee honestly beginning to _hyperventilate_ by that point as they promptly ducked, watching as the citrus colored flames whizzed further into the forest on either side, and _completely_ missed their originally intended marks.

Leaving random scorch marks upon a few, random and innocent bushes before then abruptly settling onto the ground within a small clearing, as though someone had just created a campsite, Taranee's newly manifested fireballs continued flickering within the distance, almost within a _beckoning_ motion, causing her blood to frighteningly ice over.

Will, sensing her friend's understandable upset toward the present development, wished to immediately comfort and be there for her, the way she'd already been for her several times over throughout their newfound companionship.

However, given that they no longer possessed any active protection from the renewed onrush still heading their way, she quickly seized Taranee's now dormant hand before crying, "C-Come on! Let's make that run for it!"

A weak, almost dazed nod was all Taranee gave as an active response before immediately picking up the pace, the two girls blazing down the rest of the trail path and closing the distance between the finish line and themselves as quickly as they could.

Will didn't know how they'd managed it, but by _some_ miracle they'd made it through the entire race without getting hit by a single –

" _Y-Yarrgh!_ "

" _W-Whoaaa!_ "

Suddenly, the world around them grew quite _tall_ , or, so it seemed, as Taranee and Will felt themselves falling through the apparent _hole_ which had been conveniently camouflaged a mere foot or two away from the previously awaiting flag.

Will didn't know which was worse: The fact that they had been _literally_ so close to their final destination, and had embarrassingly dropped their guard . . . _or_ the fact that the abrupt drop had been punctuated by the regrettably familiar, slapping _sting_ of a paintball exploding against her rear end.

_Twice_. . . .

Groaning out within understandable pain, Taranee was the first to attempt standing up within the thankfully shallow trap, curiously rubbing at the lower left side of her back as she did so.

" _O-Ow_ . . . ohhh, my _God!_ I-I _told_ you those paintballs can hurt!" she winced heatedly, her apparent, world renowned irritability returning as she, at least for _now_ , it seemed, put aside the fact that her worst nightmare had only just then come true mere moments ago.

" _M-Mmm_ . . . no, actually, _I'm_ the one who'd literally said that, but yeah. You're still _definitely_ r-right!" Will violently breathed out in between crescendos of physical affliction, gingerly rolling onto her hands and knees in order to futilely alleviate a bit of agony from her now _throbbing_ behind. "A-And I'm pretty sure that I got snagged _twice_ , too – In the _same_ spot! I don't think I'm gonna be able to sit properly for like a _week_ , now!"

". . . . And _this_ is the end result of what happens when one is not more aware of their environment," both girls looked up in time to see Professor Starlighter suddenly peering down at them from above, before quickly reactivating her Geokinetic abilities through her hands and carefully raised the indented earth beneath them. "Absolutely _anything_ can happen at any time, even when it would appear that the way is _clear_. . . . However, I _will_ commend you both on your overall teamwork, as well as making it this far. I'd half expected one of the machines to have marked you quite earlier on, if I'm being honest."

Will immediately bit back the urge to openly ponder if that was meant to be a compliment, or insult, though she, too, had originally felt the same way, herself . . . at least, toward her _own_ self, anyhow.

Both Rahne and Roberto, the first amongst their gathering peers to rush forward to help Taranee and Will back onto their feet, each gave them a congratulatory tap upon their shoulders before Will quietly asked, "U-Uh . . . o-ouch, _ssss_. . . . D-Does this mean we passed, o-or _failed_ this exercise, though, Professor?"

"If you're worried I am about to have you two run through the course again, then the answer is no, Will. At least, not _today_ , anyhow," Professor Starlighter responded after resealing the previous hole her students had gracelessly fallen into. "I suspect you'll be giving your first Danger Room exercise some _serious_ thought, however, and will take what you've learned today and apply it toward the _following_ lesson, yes? Now . . . allow me a few moments to reset the course before our _next_ team proceeds. And no, do _not_ expect the same experience, now that you've all journeyed down the hill and caught a glimpse. You're fully aware by now that the Danger Room is _more_ than capable of accommodating most _any_ scenario. . . ."

". . . . Hearing her say that makes me _really_ not want to go into the _actual_ room whenever that is, if its reach evidently extends all the way out _here_ , in addition to having a lot more tricks and goodies within its arsenal, even _after_ all the damage we'd done back there," Will murmured quietly to Taranee with a slight shiver as the two were then dismissed from the course, each of their limbs now _burning_ within fatigue as they slowly hobbled away.

"We weren't allowed to come down to really watch you guys since I guess, ' _spoilers_ ,' but seeing as you'd made it out in one piece, more or less, I bet you two kicked _ass_ in there! You'd made it close to the _end_ , anyways," Roberto complimented with a large grin as he and Rahne fell into step alongside their slightly wounded classmates, and offered their own bodies for physical support.

"Yeah! _Especially_ you, Will, since this was your first time going toe to toe with the D.R.! I hope whatever awaits Roberto and I when _we_ go won't be any worse than . . . paintballs, right?" Rahne agreed with an encouraging nod and smile, pointing toward Will's red splattered backside as discreetly as she could.

Will let out a well timed winced at this, and nodded.

" _O-Oooh_ . . . yeah, paintballs. _Millions_ of them, at that. And now, thanks to them, it now feels like my butt's on _fire_ each time I take a step," she tiredly remarked, slowing down her pace a bit as a result, before flashing Taranee a sympathetic smile toward her particular choice of words.

"Ho, _ho!_ And what a _hot_ butt it – _O-Ow!_ I was _kidding_ , babe, I'm sorry!" Roberto began to openly flirt once more, before _promptly_ receiving a hard punch into the arm he previously had wrapped around Will's waist from Rahne, causing him to automatically release her in order to tend to his own, newfound wound.

" _Keep_ testing me! Unless you'd like for me to make that 'beautiful' face of yours my new _chew toy!_ " Rahne warned darkly, carefully letting go of Taranee once they'd made it back to the top of the small hill, before beginning to chase after the half chuckling, half _terrified_ Roberto.

". . . . They're certainly an . . . _interesting_ couple," Will muttered with a light sigh and shake of her head, before turning her full attention onto Taranee. "H-Hey, that was um . . . some pretty _impressive_ moves you'd had back there. Thanks for having my back, Taranee."

She wasn't entirely sure if she could, or indeed _should_ bring up the fact that the pyrophobic girl had just become pyro _kinetic_ , as she naturally didn't want to trigger Taranee's anxiety any further.

And seeing as she appeared to _promptly_ push the incident aside, Will supposed that Taranee naturally was not yet ready to completely face facts . . . although she suspected that once she did, it most probably _wasn't_ going to be pretty. . . .

For now, at least, Taranee much preferred to remain _very_ much within the now, as she tiredly nodded her friend and weakly smiled, before collapsing onto the ground to properly rest.

"You . . . You get used to their dynamic relatively quickly, I suppose . . . although if _I_ were Rahne I'd either have Roberto put the _kibosh_ on his whole shtick, or tell him to find himself a _new_ girlfriend – Especially since it appears he enjoys flirting with _all_ newcomers, seeing as he'd done the same with _me_ when I'd first arrived, myself," she opined with another nod and light, disapproving frown, appearing to ignore Will's final comment as she shifted over a bit before reaching her hand up into the air toward her. "Want me to help you down?"

" _No_ , no, I'm good. I'm probably gonna take the next hour or so getting used to _standing_ everywhere, in between icing my poor rump," Will sighed, shaking her head as she politely turned down the offer, before pausing a moment as she thought of how next to steer the overall conversation. "But, hey . . . how's about after we're all dismissed and get cleaned up, we head over to the dining hall and grab _the_ biggest bowl of ice cream we can get?"

Will watched as the pensive, honestly terror filled facial expression which was slowly beginning to form upon Taranee's face promptly subsided, before happily nodding.

"That sounds like the _best_ course of action we've had today, Will. I can _definitely_ get behind that. . . ."

****\- End of Chapter Eleven** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paintballs really DO freaking hurt so much, my dude...but still fun to play. LoL
> 
> But, yeah! Wowwww, so a lot definitely happened within this chapter. At least, socially, I suppose, I dunno. LoL Thirty pages of random, teenage drama and chaos, thankfully gone! :)
> 
> Yes, yes, definitely-obviously the others, especially Taranee, now will more of their own p.o.v. moments, but I'd wanted to finnnnnnnnally get one full day's worth of everyone's typical scholastic experience...at LEAST once. It was honestly bugging me. LoL
> 
> AND, bonus, I also got to have pretty much non-stop powers exhibition, which evidently a lot of you also enjoy 'seeing,' so...there ya go! :p
> 
> Kadma's comment about there 'are no off switches within the real world' might sound familiar to those who've watched "X-Men: Evolution," as it's what Logan had apparently said to the New Mutants before beginning their training course outdoors. Seeing as I can kinda see the two of them always bringing their A-game whenever teaching their students, I just HAD to use it, as well. :p
> 
> I mean, she DID basically beat the crap out of one of her students, after all, and it's apparently completely 'normal,' and legal. LoL
> 
> ALSO, seeing as it's still W.I.T.C.H. characters, I also just had to make Kadma's D.R. suit slightly similar to her Guardian outfit...but I mean, only very slightly, though. :) Still purplish, though!
> 
> Speaking of beating students up, a few canon X-Men charries to rundown here, again, in case some of you didn't know: Bobby Drake/Iceman, the very 'lucky' student to have gone head to head against Kadma. LoL Then there's Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, and his girlfriend, Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane. Oh! And also making her official, speaking debut, Tabitha Smith/Boom Boom. I'd mentioned her during an earlier chapter, already, but there she was, within her flirtatious, free spirit glory. =) And again, they're all their "Evolution" portrayals here, more or less, so's we're clear, yay!
> 
> Although I was aware the slight, unfortunately sexual innuendo which could have been had from Tabitha's 'ball comment' during gym class lol, she was more so alluding to her specific mutant ability. :p I don't honestly know if anyone reading is actually familiar with this canon character, again, but basically she can generate plasma balls. And seeing as she usually tends to create teeny versions of them – A lot of them, like she does on "Evolution," for example, all that was the reasoning behind her statement...and I guess also why she's apparently pretty good at sports like basketball. At least here, anyway. :p
> 
> Throwing in later on that Rahne's normally light accent thickens whenever pissed off is mostly a nod to sooo many people in my life, namely my hubby, my 'rents, and I guess, myself, all of whom possess varying accents by default. LoL At least, according to hubby, I do, anyway.
> 
> I don't personally hear it...unless I also get upset, maybe, or within super babbling mode, like right now... :p
> 
> Any of yooze guys have an accent, as well, and if so, does it deepen/thicken a bit depending upon your mood, too? Do you even notice at all, or do people constantly have to point it out...and then tease you about it? LoL Lemme know! =)
> 
> Ooh, ooh! Also let me know which way you guys call it whenever playing badminton, yourselves: 'Birdie,' or 'Shuttlecock?' I generally say either or, myself, although I purposefully refer to it as a 'birdie,' solely to annoy my husband, whom ALLLLWAAAAYS gets 'triggered' about it, and promptly corrects me. LoL
> 
> ….Just like 'al-you-mini-um,' instead of 'a-LOO-mi-num' for the word aluminum, for example. That one REALLY gets him going. LoL
> 
> Or 'TA-coh,' instead of 'tah-coh,' for taco. This one I'M the one who likes to randomly 'teach' him and go, out of nowhere, "...Tah-coh?", like I'm teaching my youngest Tornado Baby to talk, to which he'll simply reply, "TA-coh."
> 
> Sigh. It's a process...not really. =)
> 
> Anyway! Think that's it! The rest I'll just hopefully get to see you all comment on and discuss like made within your reviews! :)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, enjoy your 4th of July if you celebrate, and stay tuned for the next chapter, where I'll have to shove the Phobos 'intro' I'd planned for THIS one, yayyy!


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